Suicidal thoughts appear when the suffering is so deep that you cannot get out of it. The pain is so strong that suicide seems to you the only way to find comfort in the chaos of thoughts and circumstances that afflict you. However, there are other remedies to get better, to keep living and to return to feel joy, love and enthusiasm. Taking immediate action to eliminate the dangers, thoroughly analyzing the causes of suicidal thoughts and drawing up a plan to overcome the crisis will help you find a different way out.
If you intend to commit suicide and immediate action is required, call the free number of the Samaritans Onlus 800 86 00 22
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Seeking Help
Step 1. Call a friend
Tell him about your state of mind and that you need his help. Ask them to tell you about your qualities and strengths or to think back to the fun times they spent together.
Choose a friend you think you can trust
Step 2. Avoid being alone
Don't go out of sight of friends or family. If there is no one who can keep an eye on you, go to the emergency room so as not to be alone. If you attend a support group, reach out to other members for special support as they are experts in the moment you are going through and how to intervene.
Seek the help of a psychologist, a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist. People who attempt suicide are most likely suffering from a severe mental disorder (such as depression), for which they can seek treatment
Step 3. If the desire to commit suicide arises as a result of a particular event, such as the end of a relationship, the loss of a job or the onset of a disability, remember that depression can be cured, especially if it is attributable to certain triggering events
Talk to a spiritual guide. If you are a believer and have the opportunity to consult a spiritual guide, try to confide in this person. Some people prefer to speak to a spiritual guide rather than an experienced psychologist. Ministers of worship are educated to help people in need, including desperate people with suicidal tendencies
Step 4. If you believe in all of this, a spiritual guide can help you alleviate your suffering by offering you a new perspective and by presenting you with things to think about
- Find a support group. There are support groups, both online and in your city, where you can find comfort through dialogue with other people who are suicidal or who have attempted suicide.
- To find a support group you can contact your psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist who will be able to give you further information, otherwise check the Internet for the presence of similar realities in your area.
- Ask for help from people who understand you. It is very important to remember that you are not alone, regardless of the reason that leads you to think about suicide. Reach out to people who are close to you, who understand your feelings and who want to help you. If you don't know where to start, try getting in touch with one of the following services:
- Call Samaritans Onlus at 800 86 00 22.
- If you are homosexual, bisexual or transsexual, call 800 713 713.
- Call the Suicide Prevention Service on 06 33775675.
Step 5. If you are a teenager, call the Telephone Azzurro Childhood Emergency Service at 114
- Call the Telefono Amico number 199 284 284 or access the Mail @ micaTAI service available on the website
- Contact a psychotherapist. Search the telephone directory for a list of contacts in your area. You can also find one here:
Part 2 of 3: Developing an Action Plan
Step 1. Get rid of potentially dangerous items
If you have the thought of committing suicide, make it difficult to do so by getting rid of any object suitable for the purpose.
- They could be objects like this: firearms, knives, ropes, or drugs.
- If you are unable to throw away medicines for health reasons, leave them in the care of a trusted family member or friend who can administer them as prescribed.
Step 2. Make a list of the things you love
Write down anything that comes to your mind that can fill you with joy or that is associated with feelings of happiness and love. It could be your family members, your dog or cat, your favorite sport, the writer you are most passionate about, your favorite movies, the food that reminds you when you were little, a place where you feel at home, the stars, the moon, the sun. If it makes you feel good, write it down.
- Don't forget to include the things you love about yourself. Write down the qualities that distinguish you, including those relating to physical appearance, character and so on. Take note of the goals you have achieved. Write down the milestones you are proud of.
- Don't forget to include your future ambitions. Write where you hope to spend your life, your projects, the profession you want to try your hand at, the children you might have, the life partner you might meet.
Step 3. List positive activities that can distract you
In the past, what helped you decide not to commit suicide? Write it down. Any distraction is good if it can take you away from the circumstances in which you can harm yourself. Having a to-do list on hand when your mind is too confused to remember them can be very useful in the future. Here are some ideas:
- Call a friend to talk to.
- Eat a healthy meal.
- Go for a walk or practice some physical exercise.
- Paint, write or read.
Step 4. Make a list of people to call
Include the name and phone number of at least five contacts in case any of them are not reachable in time of need. Include friends, family and acquaintances willing to answer the phone and provide assistance.
- Enter the names of trusted psychologists, psychiatrists, and support group members.
- Write down the phone number of the suicide prevention services you are familiar with.
Step 5. Develop a safety plan
The safety plan is a plan to read carefully and follow to the letter as soon as suicidal thoughts appear. This program is a tailor-made list of the activities you need to do to prevent yourself from doing the fatal deed. When you have suicidal thoughts it can be difficult to get distracted and focus on something positive. On the other hand, if you have a plan, when suicidal thoughts appear, all you have to do is pull it out and start following the list one point at a time. Complete each step on the list until you feel out of harm's way. Here is an example to develop the security plan:
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1. I have to read the list of things I love.
I must remember the things that, up to now, have saved me from suicide.
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2. I have to read the list of positive distractions.
I have to get away from my own thoughts by doing any other activity.
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3. I have to read the list of people I can call.
I need to call the first person on the list and talk to her. I have to keep calling until I can get in touch with someone who can stay on the phone as long as necessary.
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4. I have to postpone suicide and make the home environment safe.
I have to promise myself that I will wait at least 48 hours. In the meantime, I have to get rid of pills, blunt objects and other tools that could harm my safety.
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5. I need to call someone to come stay with me.
If nobody can come, I have to call my therapist or an emergency number.
- 6. I have to go to a place where I feel safe, for example at my parents' house, a friend's or in a recreation center.
- 7. I have to go to the emergency room.
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8. I need to call the emergency services.
Part 3 of 3: Try to Evaluate Alternative Solutions
Convince Yourself Not to Commit Suicide Step 11 Step 1. Remember that what you are feeling right now is fleeting
When you are seriously considering committing suicide, it is difficult to think of alternative solutions to your problems. One way to try to back down and evaluate other possible solutions to problems is to remind yourself that you haven't always had suicidal thoughts and that you won't always have any in the future.
All feelings are fleeting and vary over time: suicidal feelings and thoughts will pass, just like hunger, sadness, fatigue and anger. If you can't find alternative solutions because you just want to die, try to remember all of this
Convince Yourself Not to Commit Suicide Step 12 Step 2. Postpone your projects
Do your best to retrace your steps and put off whatever plan you have in mind for at least 48 hours. Regardless of what you want to do, don't do it now. Tell yourself that if you've made it this far, you can give yourself two more days to reflect on the situation. Two days is nothing when you consider the stakes.
During these two days you will have time to think, rest and find a way to convince yourself that there are other possibilities to free yourself from the pain that grips you
Convince Yourself Not to Commit Suicide Step 13 Step 3. Consider other ways to solve your problems
Think of all the resources that can help you achieve your goal. Do you need someone to help you? Put this alternative plan into practice. For example, if you are thinking about suicide because you run out of money, you could try taking out a loan from a friend or relative. Stick to the plan as long as necessary. If the first attempt to reach the goal in a healthy way is unsuccessful, try something else.
- Remember that a goal is not always achieved instantly. It may take some time.
- If you suffer from severe depression, this kind of goal-oriented approach may not be the best solution because sufferers have a tendency to ruminate and a weak problem-solving attitude.
Advice
- You must take all medications prescribed by your doctor in accordance with his instructions. Never stop taking medicines without first consulting your doctor.
- You must attend all scheduled psychotherapy meetings. If necessary, ask a trusted person to accompany you each week to further feel obligated.
- Contact Samaritans Onlus, the Suicide Prevention Service or the Telefono Amico for information on support groups online or in your area. You may even find groups that better suit your needs, such as groups reserved only for teenagers.
- Consult the website of the Ministry of Health for information on the performance of the National Health Service.
- If there are no support groups for suicide or depression in your area, contact a specialist or the staff of the nearest hospital to find out about any support groups they manage or how to find one. Also, you can visit one of the websites that offer online psychotherapy.
