World Suicide Prevention Day: Suicide Support So, there you sit, in a seat so many before you have sat - a seat that feels more like a black hole, sucking you in with no escape. Thoughts flood into your head with a torrent of fear and uncertainty. Your thoughts make you panic; terrified you will lose control. But amongst everything, there's still hope… Suicide is one of those subjects we feel incredibly uncomfortable talking about. When you feel suicidal, it clouds your judgement, making you feel insecure about how the world would judge you. You may be worried about being labelled "crazy"; the truth is, a suicidal person is anything but. Feeling suicidal is not a sign of insanity - it just means, that for whatever reason, the individual is finding it hard to cope at present. Critical words in the sentence: "at present". The cause of suicidal emotions always comes to pass, and the suicidal feelings do too. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. With time and support, you WILL be able to get through this and the suicidal thoughts will stop. In this post, I intend to give hope, help and support to those who're feeling suicidal; in the following post entitled “World Suicide Prevention Day: Supporting A Suicidal Person”, I intend to give advice to the unsung heroes who support those who're suicidal. A lot of people who contemplate suicide always think to themselves "I wish I could just close my eyes and never wake up". You ever thought that? Why do you think that? Because it's painless. You've been through enough emotional pain as it is, and the last thing you want is to suffer physical pain as well. You may start looking for a painless suicide method. Let me get to the point: there is no such thing as painless suicide. Various methods of execution may not hurt - but whether you like to believe it or not, there are people out there who love you. There are people out there who love and care about you so much their world is gonna come crashing down when they learn the news that you decided to take your own #life. No matter how dark times seam, there is always someone who loves you who will support you, and give you a reason to live. Never forget that. Sometimes when we get a suicidal thought, we feel as though we're losing control of ourselves. There is however something vital worth highlighting here that many fail to see: there is a BIG difference between suicidal thoughts and suicidal plans. If you're having thoughts, then feel relieved and get hope from the fact that you don't get plans; if you've planned in the past, or you're planning at present, it still isn't the end. Your heart is still beating, and therefore there is still hope. Thoughts or plans do not have to become reality. The thing with suicide is, those who contemplate it don't actually want to die - they just want the way they're feeling to stop. The way you are feeling now will stop, and suicide is NOT the thing that will make it stop. Time is the critical thing that'll make these suicidal thoughts stop. In the meantime however, you may be wondering how you're meant to get through the time at present. Despite how uncomfortable and scary we may find it talking or speaking up about suicide, the importance of doing so is paramount. For however frightening it may be to first raise your voice and speak openly, the benefits in the long run are more than worth it. With someone to talk to, sooner or later your suicidal thoughts will become a distant bad memory; a place that you will never have to go back to. You could talk to a close family member, or a special friend. Sometimes we feel more comfortable talking to a friend than we do a family member. All you're after is someone to talk to; someone who'll listen when you feel you need to get something off your chest. The release of doing this is a profound feeling, and it helps an awful lot. It's important also for you to speak to this person everyday, face to face if possible; if not, then by phone or text. Ask them however to contact you to see how you are. Always contact them however strait away if you feel you need to. You could, if you felt you wanted to, seek more professional help. Just the thought of this may petrify you - more so than the fear of talking to someone you know. You may feel the requirement of such action be a little drastic, and you may not like to believe that it's needed. The way to think of it however is, it's a step in the right direction to helping you get through this difficult time. Even though a friend is the best initial support - and would also be a great support for if/when you reach out for more professional help - a counsellor or therapist may speed the recovery along faster, which is always a good thing. The important thing to understand and use to reassure yourself here is that no one will ever judge you; you are never alone in the way you're feeling. Sometimes when we have suicidal thoughts, we mistrust ourselves so much, that we almost speak of ourselves as if we are not the ones in control. It is important to say at this point that suicidal thoughts or plans are very different to the mindset of someone who is actually prepared to kill themselves. It's a very unique and idiosyncratic mindset that is very easily confused. The fact that you are reading this, the fact that you are willing and are trying to help yourself, shows you are NOT in the frame of mind of someone who would actually commit suicide. You still have hope, and you are holding onto it, which is a very good sign that you should find incredibly reassuring. Even if you don't plan, you still need to be wary of spontaneity. Sometimes when our thoughts get us down, we can act spontaneously. This would only happen however if various implement were at hand for a person to use to harm themselves or commit suicide. If you feel you need to, remove all item from your home that could be used to harm yourself. These are usually things like knives, guns (if you own one), scissors, or anything sharp. If you cannot remove these things yourself, then get someone else to do it for you. This is, once again, a step in the right direction. We can help ease thoughts by keeping an active and entertaining scheduled day. When a person has routine and structure in their #life, suicidal thoughts ease and eventually stop. Even if you don't feel like you have a so called "structure", you can create one by scheduling your day and filling it with activities that make you feel good. If you like a particular TV Show, schedule that you watch an episode at a particular time of day. If you have a hobby, ensure you make time for this during your day. It's also important to get out of the house for a least 30 minutes per day. A brisk walk will help you feel better, as will sunlight and being in the fresh air. As I come to the end of the first article I’m writing for WSPD, I hope people have found this helpful. Keep the words with you, and read them whenever you feel you need to. This may be the light at the end of an epic tunnel. It may help in darks times to keep a diary to release your feelings. If a diary seems daunting, then you could write a story; creative outlets are very good releases. Writing your feelings down always helps. If you feel the need to let a tear drop, do so. You are never alone, you are never unloved, and you are never unthought of. God bless every single one of you! Article by Angelo Uccello One more thing... If you are supporting a suicidal person, remember to check out the article that follows this entitled: “World Suicide Prevention Day: Supporting A Suicidal Person”. If it is not on at present when you’re reading this, I aim to get it up as soon as I possibly can.