What if I am Thinking of Suicide?
“Man spends his life in reasoning on the past, in complaining of the present, in fearing future.”
- Antoine Rivarol
Am I thinking of Suicide?
Thinking about suicide is the first step in the journey of taking your life. Whether you are making detailed plans or just entertaining the thought, you need to take steps to avert the possible worsening of the situation. Some people have no control of the process once the thoughts begin streaming. Others experience suicidal thoughts in waves.
Suicidal thoughts signal deeper mental issues that could include depression. You are probably facing a situation that you think is impossible to overcome. Which are the best steps to take when thinking about suicide?
Recognize the early signs of suicide
You do not wake up one day and you are thinking about suicide. The feeling grows over time because of the escalation of the underlying issues. Depression is the first cause of suicidal tendencies. If you can identify it early enough, it will be easier to reverse the causes of depression. Here are some of the early signs of depression that ultimately lead to suicidal thoughts.
- Feeling worthless, hopeless, helpless, and guilty. It may result because of something you have done or what other people think you did. Failure to achieve or deliver to the expectations of other people may also result in depression.
- Feeling sad and blue all day- nothing makes you happy. You could have missed your expectations or do not find excitement in whatever you have. Lack of people around you to celebrate the achievements is also one of the reasons people feel blue and sad for prolonged periods.
- Have you lost interest in the things that you were enthusiastic about? It could be an early sign of depression. Identify why your morale is low. Find people or situations that excite you to resume enjoying or partaking in these activities.
- Insomnia- you will lack sleep because thoughts are racing all over your mind. Some people fear sleeping because they feel like something wrong will happen. You end up lying on the bed for hours without any sleep.
- Life feels worthless- it happens at the final stages. You do not want to try anything to improve your life. When life feels worthless, you are not afraid of taking it through suicide.
Depression manifests in many ways. Some people talk to themselves or begin loitering in the neighborhood. Any abnormal change in behavior requires deeper scrutiny because it could be the early signs of depression that could eventually lead to suicide.
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Thinking about suicide
Depression is an early sign that might not come with suicidal feelings or thoughts. What happens when you become suicidal?
Suicidal thoughts come in waves. It gets worse with time if no attempt is made to reverse the situation. Here are manifestations of suicidal thoughts in people.
- You think of taking your life too many times
- You plan how to take your life
- You may even attempt to take your life and stop at a certain degree
- Writing suicide notes and justification
- Feeling that death is the only way to solve your problems
- Giving away things
- Failing to turn up for work because you do not need it anymore
- Risky behaviors like unsafe sex and driving dangerously on the road
- Purchase of lethal weapons that you would not have bought previously
- Organizing your funeral
There is no point in the suicide spectrum that you cannot reverse. You are safe when you have recognized the early signs and are willing to take corrective measures. What should you do once you spot these signs or someone alerts you that you are headed the way of suicide?
Seek help immediately
Health authorities provide 24/7 suicide support. Do not wait until it is too late. Place a call to 911 and professional help will be at your door in minutes. You will receive canceling and awareness to help you resolve the issues pushing you to attempt suicide.
You may also reach out to a friend or relative you trust. Discuss your thoughts and raise any concerns that could be pushing you to attempt suicide. You might realize that the solution is readily available.
Other platforms allow anonymous help. For instance, social media platforms do not display your name when chatting with a counselor. The same anonymous treatment is available when you call. The person you approach may help or direct you to professionals who provide a long-term solution.
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Change your environment
Leave the house and get to a public place. Staying in the same environment for too long or while you feel like depression is creeping in will only aggravate the situation. Leave the room.
Interacting with other people breathes new life into you. Your mind gets distracted from the suicidal thoughts. You also get to talk to other people about the issues that could be bothering you.
A gulp of fresh air, interacting with other people, and walking will give you hope. You stop seeing doom around you. Instead, you begin to believe that a positive life is possible. Move from the depressing surrounding into a place where you can feel safe and wanted.
Solve the underlying issues
Identify the issue causing depression to the point of contemplating suicide. Is it that your job is not paying you well enough? Do you have unaccomplished goals? Are you getting too much pressure from your boss or society? Until the underlying issue is resolved, any intervention will be futile.
Change your lifestyle
Lifestyle is a huge cause of depression that may culminate into suicide. Change your lifestyle to avoid slipping into depression again even after the interventions that have been made. You might think of leaving some friends or even changing your job. Another option is to acquire a new skill that will transform your life in the long run. Change of lifestyle ensures that you do not fall back into the same trap because it is a cycle.
The trouble with suicidal thoughts is that they come in waves. Recognize the early signs, seek help, and change your lifestyle to get you out of the danger zone. Decide to avoid depression and suicidal thoughts for the same of your health and life.
Guest Writer Bio
Timothy Miller is an excellent writer at classtaker.net. He will assist you with assignments on any topic. He is also passionate about helping students to achieve their potential while in college.