Despite what most officers and first responders have been told, clinicians do not send their clients to inpatient hospitalization for suicide thoughts, called suicide ideation. Most therapists have worked with clients who have passing thoughts of suicide in their office on an out patient basis. Although, clinicians do take suicide ideation serious, It is only suicide plan and intent that will start to make the clinician think about inpatient hospitalization for your safety.

However, it is better to seek therapy, than to think about suicide. Suicide is a temporary state but a permanent decision.

Unfortunately, many people have thoughts of suicide, but most people do not act on them. It is important to know that there is treatment. If you are a first responder thinking about getting treatment, ask your provider if they provide trauma informed care, as being a first responder, you are affected by trauma even if you do not think you are. Trauma informed care requires a clinician to be well versed in cognitive behavior therapy, exposure therapy and/or EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Second, ensure they understand first responder culture or are willing to work with you in understanding and learning about it. In our office, we allow guns as many officers are going to and from work. However, some therapists do not feel comfortable with this. Decide for yourself what you would like in a therapist office. It is your choice on who you see. But do know that the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act covers your confidentiality with work. Concerning out patient therapy, your work will not be told, you will NOT lose your FOID card, nor will anyone know unless you tell them. Please get hlep if you need it.