Which term means thoughts of self-harm?

• A. Self-Harm Propensity
• B. Suicidal Ideation
• C. Self-Injurious Thoughts
• D. Homicidal Ideation

Answer: (B)

Suicidal ideation refers to thoughts about suicide or wanting to die. It’s the clinical term used to describe the spectrum of self-harm thoughts, from fleeting wishes to concrete plans, and it signals a potential risk that needs assessment and intervention. This differs from self-harm propensity, which is about the likelihood of engaging in self-harm without necessarily involving thoughts of ending one’s life, and from self-injurious thoughts, which is a broader phrasing that isn’t the standard clinical term. Homicidal ideation, by contrast, involves thoughts of harming others, not oneself.