fbpx

Suicidal Thoughts – How To Get Help

Everyone has moments of feeling sad from time to time. Life has its share of ups and downs that can be difficult to deal with. But if you’re feeling so down that you can’t see a way out of it, you should know that you’re not alone. Many people have felt this way and gone on to live happy lives. There is help available to support you if you’re having suicidal thoughts, whatever the reason for you feeling this way.

What are Suicidal thoughts?

Suicidal thoughts might mean thinking that your friends or family would be better off without you. For some people, suicidal thoughts can range from a passing thought that comes and goes, to thinking about taking your own life as a way of ending the pain you’re feeling.

Suicidal thoughts can be worrying and upsetting. If you’ve been feeling sad and those feelings have become very intense, you might think suicide is the only solution . But it’s important to know that many people have felt this way throughout their life, got help and recovered.

It’s important to keep yourself safe, so self-care can be helpful.

There are things you can do to look after yourself when you’re feeling down and upset. Some people find writing down how they are feeling can help. Others find a distraction like listening to music going for a walk or calling someone they trust to talk can help them feel better . Taking long, slow breaths is also a good way of calming yourself down when you’re feeling upset or angry. But if these thoughts happen a lot, you may need to get additional help.

You don’t have to face this alone.There are ways of getting through this, and people who want to help you.  It can help to look at the reasons why you might be feeling this way and how you might improve that situation without hurting yourself.

Talk to Someone Your Trust

The first step to getting help with suicidal thoughts is to talk to someone you trust. Sharing can help you see your problems from a different point of view. Situations aren’t always as bad as they feel at the time. Talking to someone can help you see that suicide is not the only option. It can be hard opening up to other people, so find someone you trust like a close friend, a family member, a teacher or counsellor.

The people in our lives can’t always see what’s going on and don’t know that you’re in need of help unless you tell them. By talking to people around you about how you’re feeling, they will be able to find ways to support you and help you through these difficult times. Even just talking about what’s worrying you can help you to feel less lonely.

Call a Confidential Helpline

There are telephone helplines like the Samaritans or Papyrus where you can chat to people who can listen and offer support whenever you need it. The Samaritans is confidential and completely free and is open 24 hours a day, so you always have someone to talk to.

And if you can’t call,The Mix  has a messaging service where you can chat to someone over text at your own pace.  There’s also a free Childline servicewhere you can speak to a counsellor for free or email someone to discuss any problem, big or small.

There are different treatments and ways out of suicidal thinking – everyone is different so it’s all about finding what works best for you. But if you’re worried about something in your life and you feel like there’s no other way out, please don’t suffer in silence. You are not alone. There is help available and you can, with help find things in life worth living for.

Tell Your Doctor

If you don’t feel like you can talk to someone you know, there are other options. Your doctor can help you find support where you live, such as therapists in your area. It can be scary telling a doctor about these things. But remember that they’ve helped lots of people with these feelings before, so they understand. A doctor can also help you decide if medication like antidepressants might work for you, which some people find helpful.

Curated by

Vicky Bird
Vicky is a Bacp accredited counsellor and supervisor in private practice in Hampshire. You can contact Vicky via Psychologytoday