If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, PLEASE call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
For those of us living with addictions and mental health issues, we can have times when we are in so much emotional pain and distress that we feel like we want to give up. We struggle with suicidal thoughts, we feel a deep sense of hopelessness about life, and we carry extreme amounts of shame. When we are feeling this desperate, sometimes giving up feels like the only option. When you are in that place, please consider these suggestions to help yourself move past it.
Chances are you haven’t always felt this way. Maybe something brought it on, a traumatic event or memory. Can you try to tell yourself that it won’t always be this way? You haven’t been in this place forever, which means you don’t have to stay there forever. Things are always changing, including our thoughts, emotions and circumstances. Don’t give up when you might very well be on the verge of an emotional breakthrough, a life event that totally improves things for you, or a new way of thinking that helps ease your pain. Nothing is permanent, including your suffering. Try to think back to a time when you felt happy. Remind yourself that this feeling can come back. It might not be immediate, but it’s worth holding out for.
Reach out for support. Let someone know how you’re feeling. You don’t have to go through this alone, and there are people out there who want to see you happy and thriving. Let them help you. Maybe all they can offer is a listening ear. Maybe they’ve experienced something similar to what you’re going through and have the advice, guidance and wisdom that can make all the difference. Maybe they can be with you so you feel less alone. Another person can be our lifeline when we are suffering.
Hold on. When you’re in pain, sometimes it feels like there’s nothing you can do about it. You feel like you can’t take any steps to make yourself feel better. You might feel stuck. That’s ok. When you’re in that place, just hold on. Breathe. Ride the waves of your emotions and don’t make any drastic changes or decisions. You don’t have to do anything or change anything. Just hang on. As time passes, your pain very likely will shift, and you won’t always feel this way.
Please don’t give up. Call us for more information on how we can help you. Call (800) 871-5440.