It is not always easy to prevent suicidal thoughts. There are days when you feel that life is no longer worth living. Most importantly, you should not feel guilty or embarrassed to think so and know that you are not alone. Similar thoughts arose in the minds of many people, but they found the strength to prevent them and continued to live filled life. If you'd like to learn more about preventing suicidal thoughts, start at the first step below. If you are contemplating suicide and need immediate help, please call 800-273-TALK, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Change Your Thoughts
Step 1. Know that you can get through it
You can literally be by a thread, thinking that there is no way back. But do you know what's best at the bottom of the mountain? This is the only place from where you can only move in one direction - up. You may feel that there is no need to live and things will get worse, but it is important to remember that everything will be better if you endure and develop a plan of action. Of course, your life will not change for the better overnight, but if you believe that things can improve, then you will be on the road to change.
If the thought of suicide sneaks into you, just tell yourself that you will get through it and better days are coming
Step 2. Get help immediately
There are people who deal with people like you every day of their lives. They are there because they want to help you not feel more unhappy. It seems like there is no one in the world who can help you, but this is probably because you do not allow them to help. If you tell your friends how you feel, they are guaranteed to help you. If you will, of course. It is clear that you may not want anyone's help, and this is perfectly acceptable. But you cannot let this thought sit in your head forever.
- If you feel that you are in danger and could harm yourself and you have no one to turn to, call 911, your doctor, or register for an ambulance as soon as possible. You shouldn't be left alone during this difficult period.
- You can also call the helpline if you are in trouble and want to talk to someone. You can dial 1-800-273-TALK (8255) anytime if you are in the United States or call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or PAPYRUS on 0800 068 41 41 (if you are a teenager or young adult) while in the UK. Go online and find the helpline contact in your country.
Step 3. Postpone your plan
If you have suicidal thoughts, just tell yourself that you will not take any harsh acts during the week. Or the next 48 hours. Or at least the next day. Simply by pushing away any negative thoughts that arise in you, you will give yourself time and turn to someone for help, find ways to distract yourself, or start looking at the world in a better light. Yes, if one day you have the idea of suicide, then you will think that you are the most unhappy person in the world, but you will feel better if you stop thinking about suicide.
Step 4. Think of all the people who love and care for you
Still, you shouldn't feel guilty about having suicidal thoughts, you can help prevent these thoughts by reminding yourself of all the people in the world who genuinely care about you. Sure, you feel completely alone, but it could be because you haven't been with your friends for a long time, or you haven't felt close to your family. But this does not mean that there are no people who care about you and do not want you to be better.
Of course, one of the reasons people have suicidal thoughts is because they doubt that there is anyone in the world who cares about them. Of course, it may seem to you that you have no real friendship or strong family ties, but this does not mean that no one is worried about you, even a neighbor, classmate or colleague. If you are thinking negatively, it is natural to think that there is absolutely no one to take care of you, but such cases are really rare
Step 5. Don't feel guilty and don't be shy about your thoughts
You may feel bad that the thought of suicide has crept in, but that should be the last thing you should feel. Your feelings are completely natural, and many people feel guilty about it, but it doesn't do them any good. On the contrary, accept the feelings that you are experiencing. You will see it as it is and you will be able to move forward much faster and prevent these thoughts from recurring. If you dwell on your feelings of guilt and embarrassment, then they will indeed be present for quite some time.
Step 6. Think about the things you still need to do
It may sound corny, but taking the time and writing a list of everything that hasn't been done yet, whether it's falling in love or taking a trip to another country, can give you hope and more reason to move on. The next time you feel that life is ending, think about everything that lies ahead and you will see that you have so many experiences to absorb it all before life ends.
Step 7. Find something to distract yourself with
Yes, it can help you avoid those suicidal thoughts if you find something to distract yourself from, from doing yoga to meeting a close friend over a cup of tea. If you focus your thoughts on something else that worries you, even if it is some kind of stupidity that keeps you away from anxiety, it will only make you feel better. You can even make a list of things to do as a distraction, so you have something to switch to when you have suicidal thoughts.
Undoubtedly, if you are seriously considering committing suicide, it is important to immediately seek help. But if you just started to catch yourself thinking that life is meaningless, then you need to try to switch these thoughts to something else
Step 8. Talk to your doctor or therapist
If suicidal thoughts arise, you cannot deal with it alone. You should consult with your doctor or psychotherapist and discuss next steps. The therapist can deal with past problems and outline a plan of action for the future, and together with the doctor, they can see if you need medication. While medications may not "solve" all your problems or completely prevent suicidal thoughts, they are great for diagnosing depression, bipolar disorder, or many other mental conditions that negatively affect your consciousness. You can only get help with this if you learn to move forward.
Step 9. Write a thank you list
As corny as it sounds, making a list of everything you should be grateful for and to whom, from your best friend to physical health, or even sunlight, can help you remember all the reasons you want to live. The list should be at least a page long and keep it with you or in an easily accessible place. When you have thoughts of suicide, you can get hold of and look through this list, and you will see that you have so many reasons to live. And who knows, maybe the list will even put a smile on your face.
Step 10. Take care of yourself
Of course, if you eat healthy food 3 times a day, get plenty of rest, do not abuse alcohol, then this is not a guarantee that you will feel like a happy person, but these things will definitely guarantee you to feel better than if you were eating poorly, barely get enough sleep and get drunk 3 times a week. Maintaining good physical shape has a significant effect on your mental state; although people in a depressed state often neglect their bodies, one should try to take care of their health, thanks to which thoughts will line up in a positive direction.
During physical exertion, the hormone endorphin is released into the body, which also contributes to an excellent mood
Step 11. Avoid hazards
If you know that certain things lead you to suicidal thoughts, you must prevent them at all costs. If you feel desperate every time you see your ex, avoid seeing him. If attending large family events where everyone yells at each other makes you feel lonely, don't go to them. List the factors that make you the most unhappy and come up with a plan to avoid them as much as possible.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid all provoking factors. But you can make a plan for how to cope in case you are forced to face them
Step 12. Avoid drugs and alcohol
If you are truly concerned about preventing suicidal thoughts, then you should stop using alcohol and drugs under any pretext. They can offer you a temporary solution to your problems, and when they stop working, you will feel even deeper and more upset than before accepting them. When dealing with suicidal thoughts, both alcohol and drugs should be on the prohibited list, because, above all, they can cause aggressive behavior, and you definitely need to avoid it.
Step 13. Consider all the reasons that you only know
Surely there are some specific reasons causing suicidal thoughts. Seeing a doctor or therapist can help you discuss problems and find any mental health problems that you may be suffering from, but that may not be enough. You may feel like you're stumped because you are pissed off by your job, in a terrible relationship with someone, or unhappy with your appearance. So the "reason" for your bad thoughts may not be one, but a combination of several factors. If you set out to change any of these factors, for example, by looking for another job, then you will find that gradually your thoughts of suicide recede.
Still, avoid making any important decisions while you have suicidal thoughts in your head. While they are present, it is best to ask for help, bide the time and wait for the feelings to return to normal. Then you can reasonably think about the next steps you should take
Part 2 of 2: Dealing with Crisis
Step 1. Prepare a security plan
If you have thoughts of suicide, it is better to be prepared for this in advance so that you know how to behave in the event of a crisis. Each person can have their own safety plan, and this should include seeking help immediately, traveling to a best friend, doing something that calms you down, whatever, caring for your favorite pet, or reading your thank you list. … The most important thing to plan is not to be alone when these thoughts arise and to find something to do before help arrives.
Having a plan ready at hand can provide guidance when you feel insecure or upset about something
Step 2. Remove anything that can kill
Get rid of alcohol, drugs, sharp objects, and anything else in the house that may contribute to you committing suicide. If you have bad thoughts, it is important to do your best to make it difficult for you to do what you are thinking. Call one of your friends, lie down calmly and wait for their arrival. This will keep you safe if you know there are things in the house that you can use to harm yourself.
Step 3. Eliminate the potential
This means that you must immediately be close to the person who can prevent your suicide. This opportunity comes from being alone, and if you start to think about the bad, try to be close to a friend, a member of your family, a neighbor, someone you know and will feel less lonely (oh) and thus, you are less likely to commit suicide. If you want to keep yourself alive, call for help as soon as possible.
Step 4. Be patient
Time cannot heal all wounds, but it certainly helps to take things less badly. It will be difficult, but you must understand that having thoughts of suicide will not speed up the time in any way. You just have to be strong and not give up. Progress will happen over time. Things will get better, but you have to let them get better. Only you yourself can decide how your future will turn out. It may seem that nothing is getting better, but in fact, it is not.
Continue to take care of yourself even if the bad thoughts are gone. Always put your mental health first, even if you haven't had suicidal thoughts in months. Make time for physical activity, get enough rest and be kind to yourself and this will positively affect your mental state
Advice
- If you truly believe you cannot continue living, call 1-800-SUICIDE. They can help you, they exist for this. Just because you need help doesn't mean you have a problem. After all, you are only human.
- If you have such thoughts, it also does not mean that you are a bad person. It's just that a difficult time has come for you to understand what is happening and what needs to be done about it. But the best thing you can do is stay calm (oops) and trust that things will work out over time.
- Nobody claims that it will be very easy to deal with such thoughts. But if you turn to people for help and accept it, then everything will change for the better.
- Patience is a virtue; it does not come by itself. Only you can help yourself become more patient (oh). Or rely on family and friends, they will help you overcome this path.