If you are in the US, please call or text 988 the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Room. If you’re in the UK, you can call Samaritans at 116 123 or PAPYRUS at 0800 068 41 41 (if you are a teen or a young adult). Other centers can be found on the International Association for Suicide Prevention website.
Do not use drugs or alcohol during this time as it can impair your thinking. It can also lead to making your feelings worse, not better. [5] X Research source If you feel like you need to cause yourself some pain, hold an ice cube in your hand for 1 minute without letting go (this is a technique used in child-birthing classes to help women practice getting through the pain of pregnancy). The discomfort can be grounding without causing any harm. Listen to your favorite band’s album. Watch a funny TV show. Even if these do not make you feel better, they may distract you from your feelings while you wait for help to arrive.
Be sure to take any prescribed medications according to your doctor’s recommendation. Never stop taking medications without speaking to your doctor first. Be sure to attend all of your scheduled counseling sessions. If necessary, have someone reliable scheduled to take you every week to have an extra layer of accountability for going.
Many hospitals in the United States have chaplains. Like chaplains in the armed forces, these individuals are typically people of faith, trained and experienced in working with people of many beliefs, and sometimes none at all. There is no charge for this service and can be worth looking into. A man or woman of faith may not be for everyone. Especially if you are atheist or have a philosophical or experiential issue with religion. You may only find a spiritual leader helpful if you are already involved in that particular spiritual or religious community. Although this article is pointing out resources you may find helpful in this critical time, this may or may not be a good resource for you.
If you are in the United States, check out the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s site for finding support groups online or in person. You can even find groups for your specific characteristics, such as a group for Teens. Check out the NHS site if you’re in the UK, or the web site for your country, to find options for yourself. [7] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source If there are no support groups in your area for suicide or depression, talk to a therapist or local hospital about support groups they might run or how to get group support. You can also visit a website that offers online video counseling.
If you have an unbearable home situation, find a way to get out as soon as you can; though you should avoid rash decisions that you might regret, if there’s something that you know will put you in a better place, you should not put it off. Consider reaching out to friends, family members, a therapist, or your primary care doctor if you are not sure how to get started. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers are all trained to help you get through difficult life situations and may have helped others get through situations that may be similar to yours. These professionals are also helpful for long-term care to help you stay well once you are feeling better.
Stressful life events Social isolation Psychiatric disorders, including problems with substance use Family history of psychiatric disorders, suicide, or abuse Chronic disease or an illness associated with suicide, such as a terminal illness An un-supportive family environment (e. g. , due to sexual identity, highly dysfunctional family, mental illness in other family members, etc. ) Previous suicide attempts Bullying History of conflict with a spouse, partner, or family member.
Stress can cause flares in autoimmune diseases like fibromyalgia, and you might not even realize it is due to physical pain because the emotion from the stress is so unendurable. Migraines are another source of pain so extreme it can cause suicidal ideas. The answer to these medical situations is to visit a pain clinic and get pain medication, if necessary maintenance pain medication. People in chronic pain unfortunately sometimes find the issue not managed well by medical doctors, and pain clinics are trained to focus on the pain in a way other medical professional may not. Check into an emergency room if you cannot get any help with it and the pain is driving you to the level of suicide. This is an emergency situation that needs medical intervention—it is not something you need to “man up to” or something of the sort. This is not something you are supposed to endure!
Sleep deprivation can cloud your judgment, and just giving your body and mind some time to recover can lead to a brighter outlook. While sleep may not cure depression or suicidal thoughts, a lack of sleep can certainly worsen them.
Tell yourself you won’t do anything for 24 hours; after 24 hours, give yourself 48 hours; after that, say you will give it a week. Of course, get help during this time. But sometimes realizing you can make it through a short period, day by day, will help you realize you can get through this. While you give yourself more time to figure things out, take other measures to move past the negative feelings you were having about ending your own life, such as reaching out to friends or health care professionals. Removing the sense of urgency you have about ending your own life can be half of the battle.
It is okay to have thoughts about suicide, but it is not okay to act on them; there are other ways to handle your pain.
A therapist can help you to work through these emotional issues so that you they have less of an impact on your or help you to know whether you need to cut off negative influences in your life. Suicide is a drastic measure but there are other drastic measures that are not irreversible.
Hurting yourself won’t help you really get back at anyone, and it is beyond not worth it. Instead, think about all you have to offer to the people you’ll meet in the future.
Even if you’re feeling better, it’s important to have a strong support system around you and to continue the treatment that helped you get better. If you don’t have a support system, a therapist can help you build one so you feel like you have more people to turn to. However, recovery does not mean ignoring the pain you once felt, or may feel again. [16] X Research source It is important to be truthful and honest with yourself about your feelings and look for ways other than suicide to process these feelings. Develop a plan for what to do if suicidal feelings return. For example, Step 1 could be to call the Emergency Services, Step 2 could be to call a designated person from your support network, and so on. Think about what best helped get you through your suicidal thoughts in the past and put that into your plan so that you have concrete actions to take if find yourself in a crisis situation in the future.
