Suicidal Feelings: How to Help Yourself

Suicide is when you end your own life. Suicidal ideation includes expressing thoughts about, or a preoccupation with, ending your own life. There are many things you can do to help yourself feel better when struggling with these feelings. Many services and people are available to support you and others who struggle with similar feelings.

• Go to your nearest emergency department.
• Call your local emergency services (911 in the U.S.).
• Call the United Way's health and human services helpline (211 in the U.S.).
• Call or text a suicide hotline to speak with a trained counselor. The following suicide hotlines are available in the United States:
  • 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255 or 988 in the U.S.).
  • 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433).
  • Text 741741. This is the Crisis Text Line in the U.S.
  • 1-888-628-9454. This is a hotline for Spanish speakers.
  • 1-800-799-4889. This is a hotline for TTY users.
  • 1-866-4-U-TREVOR (1-866-488-7386). This is a hotline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth.
  • For a list of hotlines in Canada, visit suicide.org/hotlines/international/canada-suicide-hotlines.html
• Contact a crisis center or a local suicide prevention center. To find a crisis center or suicide prevention center:
  • Call your local hospital, clinic, community service organization, mental health center, social service provider, or health department. Ask for help with connecting to a crisis center.
  • For a list of crisis centers in the United States, visit: suicidepreventionlifeline.org
  • For a list of crisis centers in Canada, visit: suicideprevention.ca

How to help yourself feel better

• Promise yourself that you will not do anything bad or extreme when you have suicidal feelings. Remember the times you have felt hopeful.
  • Many people have gotten through suicidal thoughts and feelings, and you can too.
  • If you have had these feelings before, remind yourself that you can get through them again.
• Let family, friends, teachers, or counselors know how you are feeling. Do not separate yourself from those who care about you and want to help you.
  • Talk with someone every day, even if you do not feel like talking to anyone or being with other people.
  • Face-to-face conversation is best to help them understand your feelings.
• Contact a mental health care provider and work with this person regularly.
• Make a safety plan that you can follow during a crisis.
  • Include phone numbers of suicide prevention hotlines, mental health professionals, and trusted friends and family members you can call during an emergency.
  • Save these numbers on your phone.
• If you are thinking of taking a lot of medicine, give your medicine to someone who can give it to you as prescribed.
  • If you are on antidepressants and are concerned you will overdose, tell your health care provider so that he or she can give you safer medicines.
• Try to stick to your routines and follow a schedule every day. Make self-care a priority.
• Make a list of realistic goals, and cross them off when you achieve them. Accomplishments can give you a sense of worth.
• Wait until you are feeling better before doing things that you find difficult or unpleasant.
• Do things that you have always enjoyed to take your mind off your feelings.
  • Try reading a book, or listening to or playing music.
  • Spending time outside, in nature, may help you feel better.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Visit your primary health care provider every year for a physical and a mental health checkup.
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
  • Ask your health care provider about the possible side effects of any medicines you are taking.
  • Ask your health care provider about whether suicidal ideation is a possible side effect of any of your medicines.
• Learn about suicidal ideation and what increases the risk for the development of suicidal thoughts.
• Eat a well-balanced diet, and eat regular meals.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Exercise if you are able. Just 30 minutes of exercise each day can help you feel better.
• Keep your living space well lit.
• Do not use alcohol or drugs. Remove these substances from your home.

General recommendations

• Remove weapons, poisons, knives, and other deadly items from your home.
• Work with a mental health care provider as needed.
• When you are feeling well, write yourself a letter with tips and support that you can read when you are not feeling well.
• Remember that life's difficulties can be sorted out with help. Conditions can be treated, and you can learn behaviors and ways of thinking that will help you.
  • Work with your health care provider or counselor to learn ways of coping with your thoughts and feelings.

Where to find more information

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Hopeline: www.hopeline.com
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: www.afsp.org
• The Trevor Project (for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth): www.thetrevorproject.org
• National Institute of Mental Health: www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention
• Suicide Prevention Resources: afsp.org/suicide-prevention-resources

Contact a health care provider if:

• You feel as though you are a burden to others.
• You feel agitated, angry, vengeful, or have extreme mood swings.
• You have withdrawn from family and friends.
• You are frequently using drugs or alcohol.

Get help right away if:

• You are talking about suicide or wishing to die.
• You start making plans for how to commit suicide.
• You feel that you have no reason to live.
• You start making plans for putting your affairs in order, saying goodbye, or giving your possessions away.
• You feel guilt, shame, or unbearable pain, and it seems like there is no way out.
• You are engaging in risky behaviors that could lead to death.

• Go to your nearest emergency department or crisis center.
• Call emergency services (911 in the U.S.).
• Call or text a suicide crisis helpline.

Summary

• Suicide is when you take your own life. Suicidal feelings are thoughts about ending your own life.
• Promise yourself that you will not do anything bad or extreme when you have suicidal feelings.
• Let family, friends, teachers, or counselors know how you are feeling.
• Get help right away if you start making plans for how to commit suicide.