Suicide and Suicidal Ideation is a complex and tragic state the renders the individual feeling hopeless, helpless, depressed, and struggling to live another day. Along with the profound loss of life by suicide, many individuals experience suicidal ideation—thoughts, plans, or attempts to end one’s own life. With the difficulty of this struggle, there are ways to find hope, lean on your family and friends, and combat suicide with counseling and self-awareness.
The Warning Signs
Recognizing the warning signs of suicidal/suicidal ideation is crucial for proactiveness and safety. These may include:
- Verbal Cues: Statements expressing hopelessness, depression, and feeling worthless.
- Behavioral Changes: Withdrawal from others, a decline in performance at work or school, or engaging in risky behaviors.
- Emotional Indicators: Experiencing big mood swings, loss of interest in activities, or expressions of deep despair.
- Planning: Seeking means to carry out a suicide plan, which may include harming oneself through medication and a weapon.
If you or someone you know exhibits these signs, it is essential to seek support immediately.
The Potential Causes
Knowing the foreseeable causes that can be the source of your suicidal tendencies can help you to see the warning signs of potential danger within yourself and others. A variety of mental health and life challenges can be a factor:
- Experiencing Depression, Anxiety, and/or Bipolar Disorder
- Traumatic Experience or Abuse
- Substance Abuse
- Chronic Illness
- Major Grief and Loss
These are just a few of the mental health concerns that could cause someone to have suicidal tendencies.
Hope and Healing in Counseling
If you are experiencing suicidal tendies, it is vital that you reach out for help. Talking with a Fortify counselor, a friend, or a family member can be one of the most important steps you take toward safety, hope, and healing. Counseling can help by establishing safety through assessment, creating a safety plan, using coping skills, finding support, and faith in Jesus Christ.
1. Safety and Assessment
First, your Fortify counselor deeply cares for your safety and wants to assess any harm. Your counselor will evaluate your level of risk and how you are feeling. This is to protect yourself and your well-being. Ensuring that you are not putting yourself in harm’s way is vital, and we want to do everything we can to protect you.
2. Creating a Safety Plan
Collaborating with your counselor to create a safety plan can be helpful in safeguarding you from harm outside of the walls of the counseling room. Your safety plan is personalized to you and has detailed instructions for when suicidal ideation comes into play. Writing down your triggers, effective coping skills, people you can call, places you can go, and emergency phone numbers can all be resources you can use if faced with suicidal thoughts. The purpose of having a safety plan is to keep you safe in a crisis and have resources at your disposal to do so.
3. Coping and Support
Two essential strategies to help combat suicidal thoughts are connecting to your support group and finding coping skills that best fit you. Techniques like mindfulness, the five senses, deep breathing, and healthy life choices can prevent you from increasing depressive and hopeless thoughts. Having friends, family, or a support group to help you navigate hard times can help you feel like you are in a community and not isolated. Being able to draw on these aids can be used as a weapon against some negative thoughts and harmful behaviors.
4. Hope
Psalm 42 expresses the deep anguish of the Christian heart. It is a reminder that even those of faith struggle with issues as difficult as suicide. Psalms relay to us that you are not alone and that David expressed deep sorrow, hopelessness, despair, and, at times, suicidal thoughts feel the same. Despite the anguish, there is hope. John 10:10 expresses that Jesus came to give life and have it to the full. Christ wants you to live life to its fullest and have faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to wash away your sins so that you can have eternal life in heaven. Through the use of support, prayer, and belief in Jesus, there lies a glimmer of hope.
