Ifyou’ve ever felt the sudden urge to leap off of a tall building, you’re already familiar with the concept of l’appel du vide — a French term that literally translates as “the call of the void” and refers to a sudden but passing urge to engage in self-destructive behavior. I’ve always heard this voice, although its specific suggestions change from time to time. Rather than jumping from a great height, for example, it might tell me to crawl down onto the BART tracks on my commute home or chug the drain cleaner sitting under my sink.
I’m far from alone in this, however. Researchers from Florida State University estimate that up to 30% of people experience similar intrusive thoughts. Ironically, these are rarely linked to true suicidal behavior. Quite the opposite, in fact — the study found that rather than indicating a death wish, l’appel du vide is simply a misinterpreted message from your brain warning you to not act recklessly.