Understanding L'Appel du Vide: The Psychology Behind Deadly Urges

By Randall D. Ordovich-Clarkson, MD

The Suicide (also known as Satires of Romantic Suicide) by Spanish artist Leonardo Alenza, 1839

Have you ever stood at the edge of a high place and felt a sudden, unsettling urge to jump, even though you have no desire to harm yourself? Or perhaps while driving, you momentarily imagined swerving into oncoming traffic, only to feel disturbed by the thought moments later. These strange and intrusive impulses are commonly referred to as L’appel du Vide, a French phrase meaning “the call of the void.”

Despite how alarming they may feel, these experiences are surprisingly common and typically harmless. Rather than signaling suicidal intent, L’appel du Vide offers insight into how the human brain processes danger, uncertainty, and self-preservation.

What Is L’Appel du Vide?

L’appel du Vide refers to fleeting, involuntary urges to engage in dangerous actions, most often in situations involving heights or other perceived risks. These thoughts arise suddenly, contradict our actual desires, and are usually followed by discomfort or confusion. Importantly, they do not reflect a wish to die or engage in self-harm.

Psychologically, these urges are best understood as a subtype of intrusive thoughts—unwanted mental events that occur spontaneously and outside conscious control. Intrusive thoughts can involve violent images, socially inappropriate ideas, or self-endangering scenarios. What distinguishes L’appel du Vide is its focus on imagined self-destructive actions that are immediately rejected by the individual experiencing them.

Crucially, the presence of an intrusive thought says nothing about a person’s character, intentions, or likelihood of acting on it.

Intrusive Thoughts and the Brain’s Safety Systems

Intrusive thoughts are a normal byproduct of how the brain operates. Cognitive neuroscience suggests that the mind constantly generates hypothetical scenarios—many of them unpleasant—as part of its threat-detection and error-monitoring systems (Clark & Rhyno, 2005).

These thoughts tend to share several features:

• They are involuntary and often out of character

• They do not align with genuine desires or values

• They may provoke anxiety or distress precisely because they feel alien

The distress associated with intrusive thoughts typically arises not from the thought itself, but from how it is interpreted. When individuals mistakenly assume that “having the thought” implies “wanting to act,” anxiety intensifies. In reality, the opposite is often true: the thought triggers discomfort precisely because it violates deeply held self-preservation instincts.

Intrusive Thoughts by Gisella Pogliani, 2025

The High Places Phenomenon: When Danger Triggers Imagination

One of the best-studied examples of L’appel du Vide is the High Places Phenomenon (HPP). Research by Hames and colleagues (2012) found that many people experience sudden urges to jump when standing at great heights—even those with no history of suicidal ideation.

Rather than indicating risk-seeking, the phenomenon appears to function as a safety signal. The brain rapidly simulates a worst-case scenario (“What if I jumped?”), which then triggers a strong avoidance response. This internal simulation heightens awareness of danger and reinforces self-protective behavior.

In this sense, the “call of the void” may actually reflect the brain’s attempt to keep us alive, not to endanger us.

Curiosity, Simulation, and Radical Uncertainty

L’appel du Vide also highlights the human relationship with uncertainty. The “void” represents situations where outcomes are unpredictable and potentially catastrophic. Humans possess a unique capacity to imagine hypothetical futures, including ones we have no intention of pursuing.

This capacity allows us to:

• Mentally test boundaries without crossing them

• Explore fear safely through imagination

• Anticipate consequences before acting

Occasionally, this system misfires, generating vivid and unsettling mental imagery. These thoughts are not impulses demanding action, but cognitive simulations—brief mental rehearsals generated by a brain attuned to survival.

Embracing Life Changes: A Metaphorical Perspective

Beyond its literal meaning, L’appel du Vide can serve as a metaphor for facing major life transitions. Just as the void tempts us with danger, significant changes in life often come with feelings of uncertainty and fear.

Consider these parallels:

• Standing at the edge of a new opportunity feels like facing a void

• The urge to jump can symbolize the desire to take a leap of faith

• The fear and hesitation reflect natural caution and the unknown ahead

  
  

Recognizing this metaphor can help people understand their feelings during times of change. The call of the void becomes a reminder that fear is part of growth and that embracing uncertainty can lead to new possibilities.

Practical Tips for Managing Unsettling Thoughts

For most people, L’appel du Vide requires no treatment. However, understanding how to respond can reduce distress:

• Acknowledge the thought without judgment. It is a common mental event, not a command.

• Ground yourself in the present moment. Focus on physical sensations or surroundings.

• Redirect attention with conversation or a task.

• Normalize the experience. Many people have similar thoughts but rarely discuss them.

If intrusive thoughts become persistent, overwhelming, or are accompanied by genuine thoughts of self-harm, professional mental health support is strongly recommended.

L’appel du Vide reveals something profound about the human mind: our brains are not only designed to seek pleasure and meaning, but to anticipate danger, and sometimes a little too vividly. The "call of the void" and its fleeting self-destructive urges are not signs of pathology or hidden desire. Rather, they reflect the mind’s remarkable capacity for imagination, simulation, and self-protection.

Understanding this phenomenon allows us to replace fear with insight, and anxiety with curiosity—transforming a moment of unease into a deeper appreciation of how the mind works.

References

Clark, D. A., & Rhyno, S. (2005). Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts in Nonclinical Individuals: Implications for Clinical Disorders. In D. A. Clark (Ed.), Intrusive thoughts in clinical disorders: Theory, research, and treatment (pp. 1–29). The Guilford Press.

Hames, J. L., Ribeiro, J. D., Smith, A. R., & Joiner, T. E., Jr (2012). An urge to jump affirms the urge to live: an empirical examination of the high place phenomenon. Journal of affective disorders, 136(3), 1114–1120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2011.10.035