Our top tips!
- Don’t suffer in silence
If you are feeling that you want to harm yourself, it’s really important that you reach out to somebody who you can trust. Let them know how you are feeling; don’t suffer in silence. - Remember that how you feel changes
Emotions are not fixed and change all the time. If you are feeling low, or feeling that you want to harm yourself, these feelings won’t last forever. - Avoid being alone
If you are feeling like this, try and avoid being on your own when you can. Go and spend some time with family, friends or someone that you can trust. - Try to identify the triggers
If you can, try and identify particular things that might trigger your feelings. If you can identify them, you can start to understand why you may be feeling this way.
What are suicidal thoughts?
Suicidal thoughts are those where you feel that you want to die. These thoughts can lead you to try to harm yourself, or try to end your life. Anyone can experience suicidal thoughts at any point in their lives.
Suicidal thoughts can be caused by anything. They may be caused by a mental health condition, bullying, abuse or other things that may seriously affect how we feel.
People might experience suicidal thoughts because they think suicide will make the pain they are feeling disappear. They may also think that committing suicide will give them some control back to their lives, or will let other people around them know how they are feeling if they haven’t been able to talk about it.
There are always other ways to deal with these feelings, and if you are ever having these feelings or harming yourself you should speak to somebody.
Are you currently thinking about harming yourself?
If you are currently thinking about harming yourself, please speak to somebody immediately. You can contact us, speak to somebody you trust, or dial 999.
Are suicidal thoughts serious?
People who have suicidal thoughts may experience them in different ways. No matter how you are experiencing these thoughts, it is really important to understand that it is serious.
People who experience suicidal thoughts often want to harm themselves, or try to do so. They often think that it is the only way for them to escape the pain that they are experiencing.
It can feel like changing these feelings is impossible and there is no escape. However, harming yourself or intentionally trying to end your life is not the answer. As hopeless as it might seem, there are many ways that you can get help and feel better without needing to cause any more pain to yourself, or your loved ones.
The impact of harming yourself or intentionally trying to end your life extends beyond you. There are people that care and want to help.
Coping with suicidal thoughts
Avoid drugs and alcohol
Alcohol and drugs may make your feelings worse. If you are experiencing thoughts that make you want to harm yourself, it is best to avoid any form of drug or alcohol.
Think about the future
Thinking about the future, especially when feeling low, is really important. Setting personal goals, like travel plans, will give you something to focus on, which may help to get you through these feelings.
Get some exercise
When you’re feeling low, it is important to keep active. If possible, try to exercise somewhere outside in the fresh air to help you clear your mind and feel a bit better.
Write a safety plan
If you experience these kinds of thoughts often, it might be useful to put a safety plan together. A safety plan for a time of crisis could include people to talk to, activities to do or important things to remember. Our friendly mentors could help with this.
What should I do if I know someone who is having suicidal thoughts?
You may be reading this page because you know somebody who is experiencing suicidal thoughts.
The first thing for you to know is that it is okay for you to not understand how they are feeling. Most people who have never experienced suicidal thoughts may not understand how other people are feeling.
Here are some important tips to help you out:
- Be patient and understanding: People experiencing suicidal thoughts sometimes need time to come to terms with how they are feeling.
- Hear them out: People respond differently to these thoughts. Some people will want to talk more and others less.
- Avoid the subject: Unless they bring it up, avoid talking about these thoughts. They may be enjoying the distraction of talking about something different.
I think I might need some help... what do I do?
If you are worried that you might be experiencing suicidal thoughts, it’s really important to reach out to somebody.
There are many different options, all of which will be able to help you some way. Don’t suffer in silence; reach out to someone now to start getting the help that you need.
If you are feeling like you want to harm yourself, talk to somebody immediately to make sure that you are able to get the help that you need.
Get support!
If you think you are suffering, reach out to somebody and get the support you need.
Speak to us
You don’t need to suffer in silence. If you think that you might be suffering with any mental health condition and you would like to talk to someone, out friendly mentors will always be on hand to talk with you.
Speak to somebody you trust
It is really important that somebody close to you, who you can trust, knows about how you are feeling so that they can be there for you when you need them.
Speak to a doctor
Suicidal thoughts may be caused by a mental health condition and doctors can help. If you are feeling low and are starting to get worried, reach out to a doctor as soon as you can so that they can help you out.
Suicidal thoughts and depression
Suicidal thoughts can be caused by many different things. Some people experience suicidal thoughts briefly. This may be caused by something specific, such as the loss of a loved one or a particularly traumatic event.
Some people experience suicidal thoughts for longer periods, and may not be able to work out what the reason is for them feeling that way. A lot of people experiencing these thoughts may be suffering from a mental health condition.
Depression is a mental health condition that causes people to feel low for long periods of time. Some people who are experiencing more serious levels of depression may feel lower than others. Sometimes, feeling low leads to having feelings of wanting to cause themselves some kind of harm.
If you are feel you may be suffering with depression, you should speak to someone you trust as soon as possible to get the support you need.