Coping With Suicidal Thoughts? Help is Available

I’m seriously thinking about suicide. What should I do?

By: Dr. Joti Samra, R.Psych. & Dr. Dan Bilsker, R.Psych.

If you are thinking about suicide, you are not alone. Many people have thoughts of suicide, for a number of reasons. Thoughts of suicide can be very scary. You probably feel hurt, confused, overwhelmed and hopeless about your future. You may feel sadness, grief, anger, guilt, shame, or emptiness. You may think that nothing can be done to change your situation. Your feelings may seem like they are just too much to handle right now. It is important to know that thinking about suicide does not mean that you will lose control or act on these thoughts. Having thoughts of suicide does not mean you are weak, or ‘crazy’. Many people think about suicide because they are looking for a way to escape the pain they are feeling.

Even though your situation seems hopeless and you wonder if you can stand another minute of feeling this bad, there are ways to get through this and feel better. You don’t have to face this situation alone. Help is available. Here are a few ideas that you can use right now. 

Safety Plan

If you have thoughts of hurting yourself, start at Step 1. Go through each step until you are safe. Remember: Suicidal thoughts can be very strong. It may seem they will last forever. With support and time, these thoughts will usually pass. When they pass, you can put energy into sorting out problems that have contributed to you feeling so badly.

1. Do the following activities to calm/comfort myself:

2. Remind myself of my reasons for living:

3. Call a friend or family member:
Name:                                   

Phone:

4. Call a backup person if person above is not available:

Name:                                                                 

Phone:
5. Call a care provider (psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist):

Name:                                                                 

Phone:
6. Call my local crisis line:

Phone:

7. Go somewhere I am safe:

8. Go to the Emergency Room at the nearest hospital.

9. If I feel that I can’t get to the hospital safely, call 911 and request transportation to the hospital. They will send someone to transport me safely.

Continue to read more on SGTJ and download the free PDF file.