Overview

Suicide, taking your own life, is a tragic reaction to stressful life situations — and all the more tragic because suicide can be prevented. Whether you're considering suicide or know someone who feels suicidal, learn suicide warning signs and how to reach out for immediate help and professional treatment. You may save a life — your own or someone else's.

It may seem like there's no way to solve your problems and that suicide is the only way to end the pain. But you can take steps to stay safe — and start enjoying your life again.

 

 

Symptoms

Suicide warning signs or suicidal thoughts include:

• Talking about suicide — for example, making statements such as "I'm going to kill myself," "I wish I were dead" or "I wish I hadn't been born"

• Getting the means to take your own life, such as buying a gun or stockpiling pills

• Withdrawing from social contact and wanting to be left alone

• Having mood swings, such as being emotionally high one day and deeply discouraged the next

• Being preoccupied with death, dying or violence

• Feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation

• Increasing use of alcohol or drugs

• Changing normal routine, including eating or sleeping patterns

• Doing risky or self-destructive things, such as using drugs or driving recklessly

• Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order when there's no other logical explanation for doing this

• Saying goodbye to people as if they won't be seen again

• Developing personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated, particularly when experiencing some of the warning signs listed above

 

Warning signs aren't always obvious, and they may vary from person to person. Some people make their intentions clear, while others keep suicidal thoughts and feelings secret.

 

 

When to get professional help

If you're having urges to attempt suicide and/or have made a plan to end your life, get help immediately.  Below are 3 options for seeking emergency help

• 1) Call a suicide hotline.

  • In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat at 988lifeline.org/chat/. Services are free and confidential.

  • If you’re a U.S. veteran or service member in crisis, call 988 and then press 1, or text 838255. Or chat using veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/.

  • The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. has a Spanish language phone line at 1-888-628-9454.

• 2) Call 911 in the U.S. or your local emergency number immediately.

• 3) Go to a local emergency room

 

If you're having general thoughts of not wanting to live, but you aren't immediately thinking of hurting yourself:

• Reach out to a close friend or loved one — even though it may be hard to talk about your feelings

• Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone in your faith community

• Make an appointment with your doctor, other health care provider or a mental health professional

• Call a suicide hotline.  They are not only for crisis situations and welcome you to call anytime you are in distress or would like to talk to someone.

  • In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat at 988lifeline.org/chat/. Services are free and confidential.

  • If you’re a U.S. veteran or service member in crisis, call 988 and then press 1, or text 838255. Or chat using veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/.

  • The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. has a Spanish language phone line at 1-888-628-9454.

 

Suicidal thinking doesn't get better on its own — so get help.

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(From, The Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org,  Retrieved 8/2022.)

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If you think Still Waters might be the right place for you to get help, we would be delighted to talk it over with you.