Suicidal thoughts are common and nothing to be ashamed of. You’re not alone. Having suicidal thoughts doesn’t mean that you actually want to take your own life. Instead, it usually means that you want to change your situation and end your suffering. There are always alternatives, even if you can’t see them when you’re at your lowest.
If you’re having suicidal thoughts, don’t keep them to yourself. You need to talk to someone you trust. This could be someone you know or someone from a helpline. If you have trouble reaching us here at Mind, there are several other organizations and emergency centres that can help. You can also help yourself by contacting healthcare services.
If you feel that you’ve lost control of your life and lost all hope, suicide may seem like a way out. You may think that by taking your own life, you’re taking back the power over your life. Suicide may seem like a solution to your problems. However, taking your own life isn’t a solution. On the contrary, it dashes your chances of making changes.
Talking to other people can help you see other ways out and alternatives. You may need help coping, from someone who can listen and help you see the situation from a different perspective. Many people around you may want to help out without you even realizing it.
When you consider taking your own life, it’s common to think that nothing can get better, that you’ve burned all your bridges, that it’s all over. Even if this isn’t actually true, you can feel convinced that it is. Thinking about taking your own life can provide a feeling of relief in the moment, like a short break from your problems. At the same time, these thoughts can feel taboo, evoking shame and increasing your anxiety.
This is because they’re ideas that challenge the accepted norms of our society. We’re to take care of ourselves and be successful and positive. Wanting to end your life is taboo. Social norms can be extremely difficult to live up to when you’re feeling low. Having suicidal thoughts can make you withdraw from other people, leaving you feeling very alone.
If you’re having suicidal thoughts, don’t keep them to yourself, talk to someone. You may feel alone and an outsider in your situation, but in fact many people have thought and felt the same way as you. Putting your thoughts into words for someone who’s listening can help you find new ways to view your problems and new ways to resolve them. When you’re alone with your suicidal thoughts, they can grow and become stronger. Expressing your thoughts in writing and speech challenges those thoughts and allows you to get support from a fellow human.
The world is full of people who’ve had suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives but gotten rid of them. People who, in retrospect, find it hard to understand what they were thinking when at their lowest. In addition to thinking about the people you know that you might want to talk to, you can call a helpline.
If you’re having serious suicidal thoughts, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. You can contact a healthcare centre or a psychiatric clinic. If you find it difficult to do this alone, you could ask someone to accompany you. And you should do so as soon as possible. Help is available and you’re entitled to it. If you’re having serious suicidal thoughts or have concrete plans for taking your own life, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Reviewed by: Sara Probert-Lindström, doctor of medical science, registered psychotherapist.
Last edited 2024-03-07