Feeling Suicidal?
Suicidal thoughts can make you feel as if these thoughts and feelings will never end, but I can assure you this is not a permanent condition. You WILL feel better again. In the here and the now, I know this doesn’t sit well with you, but I want to give you some ways to help you cope with your suicidal thoughts and the feelings you’re having.
What to do with thoughts and feelings of suicide?
Here are some things you can do if you’re having thoughts and feelings of suicide. Please also visit our website where we have “tools” to help you. The first “tool” is a suicide prevention tool. The second tool I want to share with you is a “fix your thoughts” tool.
At Here Tomorrow, we are facing mental health and suicide in Jacksonville, Florida and
communities around the world head-on. We are a unique solution, a different approach, and a bridge to helping people get the help they need when they’re ready.
As Albert Einstein said, “we cannot solve problems with the same level of thinking we used to create them.
Some things to do when you’re having thoughts and feelings of suicide.
Talk with someone every day, preferably face to face. Depression can make you want to withdraw and you feel like it’s too much to make the effort, it’s imperative to get out and be social. You have trusted friends and you need to spend time with them. M
At Here Tomorrow, our workforce is built upon “Peer Support Professionals.” Peer Support Professionals are people with lived experience that know what you’re feeling and our Peer Support Professionals are like “friends helping friends” or “real people helping real people.” Check and see if your community has Peer Support Professionals that you can reach out to. ake getting together a priority. Or, you can find in your community a crisis helpline and talk about your thoughts and feelings.
Have a safety plan. Develop a plan that in the event of a suicidal crisis you can use. Make sure your safety plan includes contact numbers for you doctor, therapist, peer support professional, friends, and family members. These are people who will help you immediately in the event of an emergency.
Create a schedule for routine. This is very important that you find routine every day and stick to it. No matter what this is great for your self-care and wellbeing. Even when things seem to be out of control, stick to your routine as much as possible.
Vitamin D is your friend. Get yourself out in the sun or into nature. At least 30 minutes a day will make a difference.
Exercise. Motion changes emotion. At least 30 minutes a day will give you the most benefit. Start small and work your way up
accordingly. Exercise has an incredible affect on your mood and wellbeing.
Make time for things that bring you joy. Even if very few things bring you pleasure at the moment, force yourself to do the things you used to enjoy. Find friends who enjoy the same activities and do them.
Remember your personal goals. You may have always wanted to travel travel to a particular place, read a specific book, own a pet, move to another place, learn a new hobby, volunteer, go back to school, or start a family. Write your personal goals down. Write new goals and go after them.
Thoughts of Suicide? Things to avoid:
Being alone. Solitude can make suicidal thoughts even worse. Visit a friend or family member. Pick up the phone and talk to someone. Isolation is toxic. Don’t spend more time alone than you need to.
Alcohol and drugs. Self-medicating can make things worse. Drugs and alcohol can increase depression, and affects your problem-solving ability. Also, drugs and alcohol can make you act impulsively and on emotion.
Doing things that make you feel worse. Listening to sad music, looking at certain photographs, reading old letters, or visiting a loved one’s grave can all increase negative feelings.
Thinking about suicide and other negative thoughts. Try not to become preoccupied with suicidal thoughts as this can make them even stronger. Don’t think and rethink negative thoughts. Find a distraction. Giving yourself a break from suicidal thoughts can help, even if it’s for a short time.
Recovering from suicidal thoughts
Even if your suicidal thoughts and feelings have subsided, get help for yourself. Experiencing that sort of emotional pain is itself a traumatizing experience. Finding a support group or therapist can be very helpful in decreasing the chances that you will feel suicidal again in the future.
You can get referrals and information from your doctor or a google search in your local area will help you find resources.
5 steps to recovery
- Identify stressors or situations that lead to feelings of despair or generate suicidal thoughts, such as an anniversary of a loss, alcohol, or stress from relationships. Find ways to avoid these places, people, or situations.
- Take care of yourself. Eat right, don’t skip meals, and get plenty of sleep. Exercise is also key: it releases endorphins, relieves stress, and promotes emotional well-being. As always, drink plenty of water.
- Build your support network. Surround yourself with positive influences and people who make you feel good about yourself. The more you’re invested in other people and your community, the more you have to lose—which will help you stay positive and on the recovery track.
- Develop new activities and interests. Find new hobbies, volunteer activities, or work that gives you a sense of meaning and purpose. When you’re doing things you find fulfilling, you’ll feel better about yourself and feelings of despair are less likely to return.
- Learn to deal with stress in a healthy way. Find healthy ways to keep your stress levels in check, including exercising, meditating, using sensory strategies to relax, practice breathing exercises and challenging thoughts that are self-defeating.
Here Tomorrow: Changing Mental Healthcare in Jacksonville, FL and around the World
Again, here are some tools for you to use and to share if you’re having thoughts and feelings of suicide.
The first “tool” is a suicide prevention tool.
The second tool I want to share with you is a “fix your thoughts” tool.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Here Tomorrow if you need help or have any questions.