If you are feeling suicidal...

[Morning Glory]

Given the recent upsurge in people either admitting to a suicide attempt or feeling very suicidal can I just remind people that, although we care and will try to help if we can, the best option is to contact a doctor, psychiatrist, crisis support line or go to your local hospital for assistance.

I know it is difficult when you are this low but please do use the services available for you when you are at crisis point. We have many members struggling with depression and posts that discuss suicide can be a trigger for others. We will remove posts at our discretion for this reason. Please do not take this as rejection. It is our way of protecting everyone here. Please feel free to send a private message to a moderator for additional assistance.

Read this first ...If you are feeling suicidal now, please stop long enough to read this.

Keep Reading A reason... to live or to die.

A little more reading Give yourself today

Locate Services

Crisis Intervention


How serious is our condition? ...“he only took 15 pills, he wasn’t really serious...” if others are making you feel like you’re just trying to get attention... read this.

Why is it so hard for us to recover from being suicidal? ...while most suicidal people recover and go on, others struggle with suicidal thoughts and feelings for months or even years. Suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Recovery from grief and loss ...has anyone significant in your life recently died? You would be in good company... many suicidal people have recently suffered a loss.

The stigma of suicide that prevents suicidal people from recovering: we are not only fighting our own pain, but the pain that others inflict on us... and that we ourselves add to. Stigma is a huge complicating factor in suicidal feelings.

Resources about depression ...if you are suicidal, you are most likely experiencing some form of depression. This is good news, because depression can be treated, helping you feel better.

Other online sources of help:

• The Samaritans - trained volunteers are available 24 hours a day to listen and provide emotional support. You can call a volunteer on the phone, or e-mail them. Confidential and non-judgmental. Short of writing to a psychotherapist, the best source of online help.
  
• Talk to a therapist online - Read this page to find out how.
  
• Depression support group online:
  Walkers in Darkness - Please note: this is a very big group, but amidst all the chatter (and occasional bickering), it is possible to find someone who will hear you and offer support.
  
• Psych Central has a good listing of online resources for suicide and other mental health needs.
  
• Still feel bad? These jokes might relieve the pressure for a minute or two.
  
• If you want help finding a human being to talk with in person, who can help you live through this, try reading this article about how to Choose a Competent Counselor.
  

Sometimes people need additional private help before they are ready to talk with someone in person. Here are three books you could read on your own in private. I know from personal experience that each one has helped someone like you.

• Suicide: The Forever Decision by Paul G. Quinnett, PhD (Continuum, 1989, ISBN 0-8264-0391-3). Frank and helpful conversation with a therapist who cares. Order the book
  
• Choosing to Live: how to defeat suicide through cognitive therapy by Thomas E. Ellis PsyD and Cory F. Newman PhD (New Harbinger Publications, 1996, ISBN 1-57224-056-3). Another conversational book with practical help for suicidal persons. Order the book
  
• How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me: One Person's Guide to Suicide Prevention by Susan Rose Blauner (William Morrow, 2002, ISBN 0066211212). A very practical survival guide by an actual survivor. Order the book