How to Stop Suicidal Thoughts

To maintain our mental health it is important to be aware of how to stop suicidal thoughts. Suicidal thoughts refer to a person thinking about or planning on ending their life. Many people that have suicidal thoughts never act on it. The main thing to remember if you are feeling this way is that how you are feeling right now is temporary.

In fact, did you know that over 20% of people feel these thoughts at some point in their lifetime? With this in mind, whilst this is a very sensitive subject to write about we think it is an important one to look at. After all, too many people are struggling right now. Many of those struggling will not talk to anyone. As a result, they feel completely alone. We want, with your help, to ensure that they get the support they need.

Suicide is a leading cause of death for young people worldwide. Furthermore, the age group with the highest suicide rate in the UK is 40-44. In fact, one in four people at some point in their lifetime will develop a mental health problem, such as anxiety and depression. Therefore, we should all have an awareness of how to stop suicidal thoughts should they occur.

Although people with anxiety and depression are more likely to have suicidal thoughts, they are not the only ones at risk. Something could happen in anyone's life that has a significant impact on them. As a result, they may struggle with suicidal thoughts. For example, losing a loved one, losing a job, or a break or of a relationship. In addition, when people feel overwhelmed with emotions, such as anger or sadness, they can have suicidal thoughts. Therefore, even if you do not feel suicidal, you should know how to stop suicidal thoughts. It may help a lot in the future.

Depressed and suicidal people often don't voice their feelings as they fear the stigma attached to having a mental health problem. Therefore, it is vital to tackle this stigma and discrimination head-on.

The main way to get people to open up about suicidal thoughts and mental health problems is to have open communication. Accordingly, it is essential to have wellbeing support at work. Also, it may help to approach the subject of how to stop suicidal thoughts to friends and family. In other words, they know there is always someone to turn to if they feel that way. That way, it is more likely that people will reach out and seek help.

Suicidal thoughts and attempting suicide are very different things. Therefore, we must know how to stop suicidal thoughts to prevent a potential suicide attempt. When you feel suicidal, your negative thoughts can block your ability to think about solutions. In other words, suicide may seem like the only option.

Sometimes, it can be difficult for you to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but with help, things can change. In addition, it is vital to understand that the issues that can cause suicidal thoughts are only temporary. Most importantly those thoughts do not need to be acted upon.

Most importantly, if you do feel that suicide is the only way out, please seek immediate help. Speak to someone close to you and either make an emergency appointment with your GP or go straight to A&E. They will help you think of solutions to your problems and help you learn how to stop suicidal thoughts.

Many people who are depressed and suicidal don't tell those close to them how they feel. However, if you are thinking of ending your own life,  it is vital for you to know you are not alone. talk to them and explain how you feel. They will help you seek the most appropriate support from professionals. Thus, you can get your emotions and concerns out of your head and have someone listen.

However, if you don't feel comfortable talking to those around you or a professional, try sourcing help online. There are many support groups online and people you can phone who will offer non-judgemental support on how to stop suicidal thoughts.

We have a team of counsellors/therapists that are all mental health 1st aid trainers. They are waiting for you if you need someone to talk to. Please remember you are not alone.

For out of hours you could contact the Samaritans.

There is a very clear connection between mental health issues and using drugs and alcohol. The first way for how to stop suicidal thoughts is to avoid drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol can cloud your judgment and prevent you from thinking clearly, even when you aren't having suicidal thoughts. Therefore, when you are depressed and suicidal, they will have an even greater impact on you.

Many Suicide attempts can be prevented by knowing how to stop suicidal thoughts. Accordingly, why not share topics about mental health on social media? For example, posts about avoiding feeling depressed and suicidal, how to stop suicidal thoughts, and other mental health topics. Therefore, someone who feels that way may read them, which can prevent suicidal thoughts from turning into action. The more mental health and wellbeing are talked about, the better. Raising awareness means people with mental health issues do not feel alone and do not hold back from seeking help.

Exercise is an excellent way to improve your mental health and help prevent you from feeling depressed and suicidal. Therefore, when you don't know how to stop suicidal thoughts, you could use exercise to help distract these thoughts. When you have exercised, you may think about the situation more clearly. In addition, exercise helps lift your mood, so the odds are that you will feel better after doing so.

If you feel like you are under so much pressure that it makes you feel depressed and suicidal, stop and have a break. It is more important to know how to stop suicidal thoughts than it is to continue being stressed. Nothing is more important than your mental health and wellbeing. Therefore, it is vital to relax. Do something you enjoy that will distract your thoughts:

• Spend time with others
• Cook some of your favourite food
• Meditate
• Take a walk
• Use breathing techniques

Therefore, you may realise the good things you have in life. As a result, you will understand that how you are feeling is temporary, and life is worth living.

Breathing deeply is a great way to calm down and lower stress levels quickly. When we are calm, we will be able to think about how to stop suicidal thoughts better. Breathing exercises involve concentrating on your breathing. Often, you may find that your breathing is shallow. This can increase heart rate and blood pressure and prevent the circulation of oxygen around our bodies. Therefore, by breathing deeply, we have more oxygen coming into our lungs. An example of a great breathing exercise is:

• Breathe in and hold for 4 seconds
• Hold your breath for the count of four
• Breathe out for 4 seconds
• Do not breathe in again for another 4 seconds
• Repeat

This simple breathing exercise can be done anywhere and help lift your mood instantly and calm negative thoughts.

Very important

If you, or someone you know, are feeling suicidal, please make sure you contact the doctors for an emergency appointment or call 999 immediately.