What is it, why does it happen, and what signs should I be looking out for? We share everything you need to know about passive suicidal ideation

Passive suicidal ideation is something that many of us experience, but few seriously talk about. Perhaps the thought has crossed your mind, “I wish I could just fall asleep and not wake up,” or “I wish I could die, so I don’t have to deal with this.” These are examples of passive suicidal ideation and, while they are not active plans, and often focus on ways in which someone may die rather than actively cause their own death (such as thoughts of death through an accident or natural causes, rather than suicide), these thoughts can be not only worrying, but can lead to engaging in riskier behaviour without being conscious of it.

Suicidal ideation isn’t an isolated event – it can be a symptom of other mental health issues, such as severe depression, or manic depression for those with a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Here, we’ll explain more about the different types of suicidal ideation, warning signs to look out for, and, crucially, how to then find help.

What’s the difference between passive and active suicidal ideation?

Having suicidal thoughts is a spectrum. For some people, these thoughts may be active: they think about suicide, and may have developed a plan for what they will do. They want to die. For others, it may be passive: they wish they were dead or could die, but do not have any concrete plans.

Neither kind of suicidal ideation should be dismissed. You are still at risk of harm if you have passive suicidal thoughts.

Intent and motivation can change quickly, meaning you may not feel at risk now, but that could change before you realise it or have time to seek help. Studies have suggested that if you experience high levels of depression and suicidality, thoughts of passive and active ideation have the potential to become more severe and dangerous. Experiencing physical illness, a significant decline in your mental health, or an unpredictable event (losing your job, a particularly bad day, fighting with a loved one) could trigger your thoughts to become active.

How many people experience passive suicidal ideation?

Passive suicidal thoughts are more common than many of us realise. Worldwide, around 9% of us will experience suicidal ideation at some point in our lives. Within the past 12 months, that sat at around 2%. One US study found that 4% of adults aged 18 and over have thought about suicide, with those aged 18–25 the most likely to have had such thoughts within the past 12 months.

As of 2020, around 10 in every 100,000 deaths were contributed to suicide in England. For men, that rate was much higher (15.3 per 100,000) compared to women (4.9 per 100,000). Men aged 45–49 have the highest suicide rate (23.8 per 100,000). Worldwide, the World Health Organisation estimates that one in every 100 deaths is a result of suicide.

All this to say, suicide is something that has touched many lives, and it’s something that we need to take seriously.

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Sharing some last-minute gift ideas and stocking stuffers for everyone on your list!

Hi hi! How are ya? I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Ours was low-key and perfect. Friday was a bit wild (girl scouts, dance, a bday party) but Saturday was gloriously low-key. We watched movies and baked Christmas cookies, and I took a hot yoga class. Sunday morning was a hike, work, and putting lights up at nana’s house.

Today, I have some work to do for Fit Team (getting January workouts and our challenge ready to go!), but wanted to pop in and share some last-minute gift ideas. I’m finishing things up over here – I dubbed tomorrow “Holly Jolly day” and am spending the day wrapping and getting any remaining gifts – and wanted to share some inspiration if you’re doing the same this week! A lot of stores have shipping cutoffs, but if you order in the next couple of days, you should be good to go. Here are some ideas if you’re checking off gifts this week!

Last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers

Last-minute gifts that will get here on time:

For her:

– This sweater! I got this and absolutely love it. It’s high quality and on sale right now, and the camel color is gorgeous.

– This gorgeous apron

– This velvet jumpsuit (or get this one for yourself)

– This rose half-zip

– Water resistant Chelsea boots (I have these in black and wear them constantly)

– A sauna blanket or PEMF Go Mat. My liiiiiiiiiiiife and two of my very favorite things. I use the Go Mat daily for meditation, and use the sauna blanket 2-3 times per week and it feels amaaaaazing. I sleep so well and it makes my skin glow. Use FITNESSISTA15 for 15% off HigherDOSE faves.

– The best crosstraining sneakers

–A trendy asymmetrical bra for yoga.

– TRX Go Suspension trainer.

– Cookbook with new fuel ideas

– A theragun.

– A Sakara delivery! These meals are so fresh and beautiful, and will feel like such a wonderful gift for a sleep-de

Mouth Watering Sauteed Mushrooms

Mushrooms…you either love them or you absolutely do not, but these easy mouth watering sauteed mushrooms will make lovers out of everyone! They are earthy and meaty with the most sublime rich flavor.

My whole life I’ve heard my mom salivating over mushrooms. Now if you’re a picky eater can you guess what’s one of the easiest things to hate? You got it, mushrooms. But she’s been in love, stuffed mushrooms, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized mushrooms… the list probably goes on but as a mother of a teenager I’m too exhausted to think. 

I am older now, maybe wiser, and mushrooms are entering my life. These juicy sauteed mushrooms are a fantastic side dish, served over steak, or even better, slap them on a burger with caramelized onions and melty cheese!!

Keys to the Best Sauteed Mushrooms

The best sauteed mushrooms have a few special ingredients that bring out the savory umami flavor:

• white wine – I know it’s a sin to many, but we use cooking wine. See our tip below…
• worcestershire – this big time enhances that earthy, rich flavor
• butter – the ultimate caramelization maker, the fat hitting the heat will make for mouthwatering mushrooms

What Ingredients are Needed for Sauteed Mushrooms?

The ingredients list isn’t long, and having fresh ingredients will give you the best flavor. Here is your grocery shopping list:

• Baby Bella Mushrooms – these are our favorite mushrooms for sauteing but you could use whichever ones you like best
• Olive Oil and Butter –  combination of both fats gives the best flavor and is the sauteing dream team
• Thyme – aromatics
• Oregano – fresh is best
• White Wine – depth of flavor
• Soy Sauce – flavor, helps caramelize
• Worcestershire Sauce – enhances umami flavor
• Lemon Juice – bright fresh pop of flavor
• Kosher Salt – because you always need salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper –

Fluffy, buttery, nutty, pecan pancakes topped with maple syrup make for a tasty and easy breakfast we all enjoy.

Pecan Pancakes

Pancakes are truly one of the best breakfasts. You can make them in mere minutes and my family just can’t resist them. The smell of pancakes will pull them out of bed every time.

My favorite setting on my oven is the “warm setting”. It is perfect for pancake mornings. I can get a jump start before everyone wakes up and have them made and kept hot. Simply place the pancakes on a baking sheet when they’re done on the griddle and then pop them in the oven to hold.

If your oven doesn’t have this setting. Just turn it on at 150-200 degrees. This is just enough to keep your pancakes warm but not bake or cook them.

The Secret to Fluffy Pancakes

The secrets of pancake making are ones anyone can master and I share my secrets freely! So here goes what I get asked the most:

How do you get your pancakes so fluffy? Three things, baking soda, baking powder, and patience. Yes, patience is a key ingredient. Many recipes only use soda or only use baking powder.

A combination of both helps your pancakes be super fluffy. And patience, after mixing your batter, wait until you see bubbles. Rest your batter until it is covered in bubbles. Trust me.

Why do you use real buttermilk? I know there are lots of hacks for making buttermilk. But trust me when I say nothing beats the rich, flavor of real buttermilk when making pancakes. Please, whatever you do; don’t skip on the buttermilk for the tastiest pancakes.

If you make pancakes often, nothing beats a great electric griddle for streamlining the cooking process. A few years ago, when my 15-year-old griddle finally died, I tested every single griddle I could get my hands on.

When I finally tried

If ‘barely getting by’ is where you’re at right now, you could be dwelling in ‘survival mode’

Here’s something that all of us can likely agree on: it can be really tough out there. The shared pressure to do and be more, the waves of bad news that flood our lives, and the personal challenges that we’re forced to face – it’s a wonder we’re able to manage at all. Except, actually, sometimes we aren’t. Sometimes, stress tips us over the edge, and our bodies respond.

“In simple terms, ‘survival mode’ is our body’s automatic response to danger,” counsellor and psychotherapist Belinda Sidhu says. “It’s what has helped us to survive, to get to this point. This response begins in one of the oldest parts of the brain, the limbic system.

“When someone confronts danger, the eyes, ears, or both send information to the amygdala – a part of the brain which can act a bit like an alarm system.

The amygdala interprets those images and sounds. When it perceives danger, it instantly sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus – which functions a bit like a control centre communicating with the rest of the body through our nervous system – and controls hormone release. This can lead to that fight/flight/freeze response.

“This response can absolutely be helpful and aid in our survival if, for example, we’re crossing the road and a car turns a corner unexpectedly. Yet, it’s not so helpful if we’re experiencing it when a stressful email pops up. However, the unfortunate element of the amygdala is that it cannot differentiate between the two ‘dangers’, and which may be an actual threat to our survival.”

As Belinda explains, stress is a very normal part of life – and it can even help motivate us, in small doses – but, over time, it can reach a tipping point where it begins to detrimentally affect your life, making it almost impossible for you to concentrate on anything else. At this point, you could enter ‘survival mode’.

“When we go into ‘survival mode’ – or experience the fight/flight/freeze responses – we may notice a number of physical, emotional, and behavioural signs,” Belinda explains. As she sees it, these include…

Physical signs: Aches and pains, trouble sleeping, muscle tension, or jaw clenching. You may find yourself grinding your teeth in your sleep and waking up with a sore jaw. Stomach or digestive problems, bloating, high blood pressure, or headaches.

Emotional signs: Being more emotional than usual – maybe more irritable, getting angry or frustrated at things that wouldn’t usually cause you anger, feeling overwhelmed, or on edge.

Behavioural signs: You may have trouble keeping track of things, making decisions, solving problems, concentrating or getting your work done. You might find yourself procrastinating and avoiding your responsibilities. You may be ‘self-prescribing’ – drinking more alcohol than usual, or using substances such as recreation