I’ve been going to therapy and I feel like if I’m really honest about how I feel I’ll be put in a mental hospital, but I know it’s important to be honest. How do I tell my therapist that I’ve been very depressed/suicidal without being concerning? I don’t want it to be out of the blue and I don’t want to burden her with that.
4 Likes
I deal with this a lot. My therapist knows I have suicidal ideation but won’t ever act on it. I also tell her that I feel this way but don’t have the guts to go through with it’s. It’s actually nice to get things off your chest and i also know from my experience that unless you say that I’m going to kill myself today and this is my plan, they usually let you talk about it and what’s making you feel that way so that you can work on not feeling that way
2 Likes
Be open with your therapist they are there to help you they are impartial they aren’t there to judge you or put you down they are there to listen.
1 Like
As someone who is currently in school to be a therapist I feel like I got this one!
-
Telling your therapist no matter how big they are or how scary they are is NOT a burden. Your therapist can only help you if she knows exactly what you are going through, so being honest about everything is a gift to her. She wants to keep you safe and she can only do that if you tell her the truth.
-
Once you tell her your suicidal thoughts and feeling she will be able to assess how much danger you are in and together you can create a plan to keep you safe.
I know it can be scary to share, but I can tell that because you are going to therapy and because you made this post there is something in you that wants to live, that wants to heal and the BEST way to do that is by being honest.
You got this. I promise your therapist just wants to be there for you. Sending love!
3 Likes
Hey friend,
It’s very scary to open up about intimate things such as our feelings and suicidal thoughts. You would absolutely not be a burden to tell your therapist about that. They will be concerned, indeed, but it’s absolutely normal. They have to consider everything you share and be sure you remain safe. But there’s a very low probability for you to be put in a mental hospital because of this, unless you want it, or unless you’d behave in a way that is very dangerous for yourself or others.
The very fact that you’re willing to talk to them about this is awesome. By letting your therapist know, you’ll actually help them too. To know you better, to improve your therapeutic relationship, to work together on what you’re struggling with. That’s very positive. And they won’t judge you for what you share with them. It’s their job to listen to you and help you, depending on where you are in your life.
Recently I’ve been advised to try to use writings to share with a therapist about how I feel/my situation. Would it be something you would be comfortable with, rather than speaking out loud? I’m personally very bad at sharing important things out loud, because I’m usually stressed, I forget about things that were important to me, etc. So I feel more comfortable with writing because I can actually take my time to think about what I want to say and it feels more easier to open up. If it’s something you’d like to try, don’t hesitate to do so.
Also, what you shared here, your fear about being put in a mental institution, your difficulty to share about this subject: feel free to tell them too! It can also help them to understand more how they can actually help you and make you feel more comfortable during your meetings.
You got this. Hold fast. 
2 Likes
Everyone here has given you great advice and encouragement. Take it easy on yourself. You got this!