Suicide and suicidal thoughts

Please read: Important 2013 cancer research update from Dr. Michael Camilleri

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Are you thinking about suicide? How to stay safe and find treatment

Hopelessness may lead you to think about suicide. Learn how to stay safe, get through a crisis and find treatment.

By Mayo Clinic staff

When life doesn't seem worth living anymore, it may seem that the only way to find relief is through suicide. When you're feeling this way, it may be hard to believe, but you do have other options.

Take a step back and separate your emotions from your actions for the moment.

  • Recognize that depression and hopelessness can distort your perceptions and reduce your ability to make good decisions.
  • Realize that suicidal feelings are the result of treatable problems.
  • Act as if there are other options instead of suicide, even if you may not see them right now.

It may not be easy, and you might not feel better overnight. Eventually, though, the sense of hopelessness — and thoughts of suicide — will lift.

Get immediate help

If you think you may hurt yourself or attempt suicide, get help right away by taking one of these actions:

  • Call your mental health specialist.
  • Call 911 or your local emergency number.
  • Call a suicide hotline number — in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) to reach a trained counselor. Use that same number and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
  • Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
  • Seek help from your doctor or other health care provider.
  • Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone else in your faith community.

Learn coping strategies

Don't try to manage suicidal thoughts or behavior on your own. You need professional help and support to overcome the problems linked to suicidal thinking. Your doctor or mental health provider can help you identify coping strategies tailored to your specific situation. Consider discussing coping strategies with people who know you well, such as family members or trusted friends.

You may be advised to do things you don't feel like doing, such as talking with friends when you'd rather stay in your bedroom all day. It will get easier to do such things as they become habits. If you're already in treatment, go to all of your appointments and take medications as directed. Do your best to stick with your treatment plan, even when you're feeling hopeless.

Next page
(1 of 2)
References
  1. Stanley B, et al. Cognitive behavior therapy for suicide prevention (CBT-SP): Treatment model, feasibility and acceptability. Journal of the American Academy of Child &Adolescent Psychiatry. 2009;48:1005.
  2. If you are considering suicide. American Association of Suicidology. http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/thinking-about-suicide. Accessed April 3, 2012.
  3. Suicide prevention. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home. Accessed April 3, 2012.
  4. Schreiber J, et al. Suicidal ideation and behavior in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 13, 2012.
  5. McDowell AK, et al. Practical suicide-risk management for the busy primary care physician. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2011;8:792.
  6. Understanding suicide: Fact sheet 2012. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pub/Suicide_factsheet.html. Accessed March 22, 2012.
  7. When you fear someone may take their life. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?page_id=F2F25092-7E90-9BD4-C4658F1D2B5D19A0. Accessed March 22, 2012.
  8. Harvey, SB, et al. Physical activity and common mental disorders. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 2010;197:357.
  9. Durkee T, et al. Internet pathways in suicidality: A review of the evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2011;10:3938.
  10. Saeed SA, et al. Exercise, yoga and meditation for depressive and anxiety disorders. American Family Physician. 2010;8:981.
  11. Bostwick JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 2, 2012.
MH00054 June 15, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger