Suicide-related terminology is important in the field of mental health because it helps professionals, researchers, and caregivers understand suicidal thoughts, behaviours, and risks accurately. Proper use of these terms promotes effective communication, assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies. Suicidal ideation refers to thoughts, ideas, or wishes about ending one’s own life. It may range from brief thoughts about death to detailed thoughts involving methods and plans. Suicidal ideation can be passive, where a person wishes not to exist or hopes to die without taking action, or active, where a person has specific thoughts about attempting suicide. Suicidal intent refers to the seriousness or determination behind a person’s desire to die by suicide. It indicates the extent to which an individual expects or wants their actions to result in death. High suicidal intent is often associated with greater risk and requires immediate attention and support. A suicide plan involves the development of a specific strategy for carrying out suicide.