Author: J. Burrello

Guest author: Maria Miguel from BetterHelp

Coping with Suicidal Thoughts

First of all, if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you need to talk to someone. Either a family member, friend, or a professional such as your doctor or therapist. If you do not have a therapist, you can find one online at BetterHelp.com. If you prefer to see a therapist in person, they can help you find someone close by your that you can talk to. Now, there must be something going on that is causing you to have suicidal thoughts such as depression or an anxiety disorder. The fact that you are reading this means that you realize that you need help so that is good. Read on for more helpful information.

You Are Not Alone

Having suicidal thoughts can feel terrifying and overwhelming; you may not know where to turn or what to do. One thing you need to know is that you are not the only one to feel this way and there are people who can help you out there. Do not ignore it and hope it goes away. As easy as it sounds to just stay in bed and cover your head, that is not the answer. To get rid of these feelings and thoughts, you need to change them. Here are some steps you can take:

Write it Down

Journaling or writing down your feelings is one of the most easy therapeutic tools that you can do on your own. Start by just writing down what you are feeling right now. Be as specific as you can and take your time. Do that every day for about a week and then go back and read over these feelings. Try to figure out what caused you to have these feelings and come up with a plan to change them.

Make a Plan

Use your plans from your journal to schedule how you will go about doing these things to change how you have been feeling. For example, if you figured out that you seem to get more depressed on Mondays after talking or hanging out with a certain person, consider that maybe this person is not good for you. There are toxic relationships that either need to be addressed and changed or eliminated. Certain people just tend to make people feel worse because it makes them feel better. Another scenario may be that you may be having more suicidal thoughts after spending time on a social media site such as Facebook. It may be time to stop spending so much time on Facebook.

Take a Walk

Any kind of physical activity such as walking, jogging, riding a bike, whatever you want to do, is good for you. Not just physically but also mentally. Exercise boosts the feel-good chemicals in your brain such as serotonin and endorphins. The more you exercise, the better you will feel. If you are not used to physical activity, take it slow and build up to it. Do not push yourself too hard because you can become discouraged. You know what your body can handle.

Talk to Someone

The most important thing to do is to talk to someone. You can speak to your doctor and get a
referral for a therapist or you can go online and find a therapist you can talk to without even leaving your house. That is good for people who are depressed or have severe anxiety disorders. You do not need an appointment so you can do it right now. What are you waiting for?

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.