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Maskot / Getty ImagesInformation presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.If you have been struggling withsuicidal thoughts, you are not alone. Having thoughts of taking your own life is common among those dealing with severe depression. It is important to remember, however, that it is very possible to get out of the dark headspace you’re in and your feelings don’t define you. You are loved.Life circumstances are constantly changing and your feelings will also change, no matter how hopeless it feels right now. Although it may be hard to see it when you are feelingdeeply depressed, there is hope.Depression is a treatable illness and there are many options that can help you. Even if one treatment does not seem to provide much relief, this does not mean that another treatment won’t provide better results. In the meantime, there are steps you can follow to help you better cope with your feelings until they pass.
Maskot / Getty Images
Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
If you have been struggling withsuicidal thoughts, you are not alone. Having thoughts of taking your own life is common among those dealing with severe depression. It is important to remember, however, that it is very possible to get out of the dark headspace you’re in and your feelings don’t define you. You are loved.
Life circumstances are constantly changing and your feelings will also change, no matter how hopeless it feels right now. Although it may be hard to see it when you are feelingdeeply depressed, there is hope.
Depression is a treatable illness and there are many options that can help you. Even if one treatment does not seem to provide much relief, this does not mean that another treatment won’t provide better results. In the meantime, there are steps you can follow to help you better cope with your feelings until they pass.
Call a Suicide HotlineSuicide hotlines andchat roomsare important resources to use when you’re in a crisis. They are free and can connect you with a counselor who will help you talk about your feelings in a safe environment.You don’t have to provide any personal information when you call and, while the person on the other end of the phone may ask some questions to better determine your suicide risk, they will mainly listen, provide resources, and help you develop a safety plan.
Call a Suicide Hotline
Suicide hotlines andchat roomsare important resources to use when you’re in a crisis. They are free and can connect you with a counselor who will help you talk about your feelings in a safe environment.
You don’t have to provide any personal information when you call and, while the person on the other end of the phone may ask some questions to better determine your suicide risk, they will mainly listen, provide resources, and help you develop a safety plan.
Make Your Environment Safe
If you could use help from a friend or family member, be direct and explain what you would like them to do. Don’t assume they’ll know what you want or need, because they may not.
For example, you might say, “Hi, Bob. I’m calling because I’m feeling suicidal and I’m afraid that I might hurt myself. Would it be possible to stay with you for a while since there are guns in this house?”
Seek Professional Help
If you are not currently receivingtreatment for your depression, it is important to reach out for help. Set up an appointment with your family doctor or a psychiatrist to be evaluated and treated.
Treatment options for depression often involve the use of psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of both.
Psychotherapy, also known as “talk therapy,” is a first-line treatment that your doctor may recommend for your depression. That said, if you are feeling suicidal and need quick relief, psychotherapy alone may not be your best option.
Antidepressant medications may afford quicker symptom relief than therapy, while psychotherapy can give you the tools needed to cope with your current depression and help prevent future episodes. The two treatments are most effective together: Research shows that combining psychotherapy with antidepressants is “superior” for treating depression than antidepressants alone.
Find Support With the 7 Best Online Help Resources for Depression
Ask a Doctor If Medication Is Right for YouAntidepressantsare generally the first medical treatment that your doctor will try. If you have already tried an antidepressant without success, don’t give up. Sometimes it takes a few weeks for the medication to begin working. And if you’ve been taking antidepressants for a while, stopping abruptly can result inwithdrawal.Not everyone reacts the same to a specific medication. Sometimes it’s a matter of trying a different antidepressant, finding the right combination of antidepressants, or adjusting the dosage.A review of 522 different studies on antidepressants found that a majority of people have a reduction in symptoms in the first two months after starting antidepressants.It’s important to remember that either changing medications or adding additional ones can improve recovery rates. Don’t give up on treatment too early.How to Know Which Antidepressant Is Best for You
Ask a Doctor If Medication Is Right for You
Antidepressantsare generally the first medical treatment that your doctor will try. If you have already tried an antidepressant without success, don’t give up. Sometimes it takes a few weeks for the medication to begin working. And if you’ve been taking antidepressants for a while, stopping abruptly can result inwithdrawal.
Not everyone reacts the same to a specific medication. Sometimes it’s a matter of trying a different antidepressant, finding the right combination of antidepressants, or adjusting the dosage.
A review of 522 different studies on antidepressants found that a majority of people have a reduction in symptoms in the first two months after starting antidepressants.
It’s important to remember that either changing medications or adding additional ones can improve recovery rates. Don’t give up on treatment too early.
How to Know Which Antidepressant Is Best for You
Avoid Alcohol and Drugs
Instead of trying to medicate your pain with substances, practice self-care. Eat healthy foods, get some exercise, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. All of these activities can help you feel better.
Work on Problem Solving
If your depression is related to a situation in your life, it may be helpful to spend some timeproblem-solving. Ask yourself what is making you feel the way you do and then come up with a few strategies to change or resolve the situation.
For example, if you feel depressed because you just lost your job, you could get someone to help you with your resume or seek out alife coach. Another option would be to get job skills training so you are more appealing to employers.
How Active Problem Solving Can Help
Remind Yourself of the Good Things in Your LifeWhen you are feeling bad, it’s very easy to forget all the positive things that you still have in your life. They get pushed to the back of your mind. That’s why it’s helpful to remind yourself of these things from time to time.One way to do this is to keep agratitude journal. At the end of each day, sit down and write about all of the things you are thankful for. It may not take away your thoughts or feelings entirely, but you may notice that it helps.
Remind Yourself of the Good Things in Your Life
When you are feeling bad, it’s very easy to forget all the positive things that you still have in your life. They get pushed to the back of your mind. That’s why it’s helpful to remind yourself of these things from time to time.
One way to do this is to keep agratitude journal. At the end of each day, sit down and write about all of the things you are thankful for. It may not take away your thoughts or feelings entirely, but you may notice that it helps.
Seek Human Contact
Although your first inclination may be to isolate yourself in your home and avoid contact with other people, it can be helpful to do just the opposite. Go out for a walk. Go shopping. Seek out human contact.
Talk to Someone You TrustOften it can be a big help just having someone to whom you can express your feelings. Someone who will listen when you’re feeling depressed or having suicidal thoughts. This person can be anyone you trust, such as a friend, relative, clergy, or therapist.Keep in mind that not everyone understands depression. Therefore, whentalking to friends about your depression, let them know how they can help. Ask them for their support and encouragement.
Talk to Someone You Trust
Often it can be a big help just having someone to whom you can express your feelings. Someone who will listen when you’re feeling depressed or having suicidal thoughts. This person can be anyone you trust, such as a friend, relative, clergy, or therapist.
Keep in mind that not everyone understands depression. Therefore, whentalking to friends about your depression, let them know how they can help. Ask them for their support and encouragement.
Distract YourselfEasing your suicidal feelings can take time. While you are waiting, however, it can help for you to find ways to distract yourself from theemotional pain.Make an agreement with yourself that, just for a little while (as long as it takes to watch a movie, phone a friend, or perhaps go to work), you will not focus on your darker thoughts. As you string together these shorter periods of distraction, enough time will eventually pass for you to start feeling better.How to Create a Suicide Safety Plan
Distract Yourself
Easing your suicidal feelings can take time. While you are waiting, however, it can help for you to find ways to distract yourself from theemotional pain.
Make an agreement with yourself that, just for a little while (as long as it takes to watch a movie, phone a friend, or perhaps go to work), you will not focus on your darker thoughts. As you string together these shorter periods of distraction, enough time will eventually pass for you to start feeling better.
How to Create a Suicide Safety Plan
Remind Yourself of Past ExperiencesHave you been through other episodes of depression and were able to move past them? Think back to the steps you took that helped you before and do them again.Most importantly, remind yourself that the painful feelings eventually passed. You worked through them and emerged happier on the other side.
Remind Yourself of Past Experiences
Have you been through other episodes of depression and were able to move past them? Think back to the steps you took that helped you before and do them again.
Most importantly, remind yourself that the painful feelings eventually passed. You worked through them and emerged happier on the other side.
Consider Other Treatment Options
If you are in immediate danger of hurting yourself, you haven’t responded well to antidepressants, or there are medical reasons why antidepressants are not a good idea for you, your doctor may opt to prescribe less common treatments.
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy(ECT) involves applying an electrical pulse to the scalp in order to induce a seizure. This procedure is often considered a last resort due to its side effects, such as headaches and muscle aches, but some researchers feel that it should be utilized sooner “due to its profound effects.“
These researchers further stated that not only does ECT help put depression in remission, it can also reduce the likelihood of a relapse. In cases where suicidal thoughts were present, patients tended to respond quickly to this particular therapy.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Transcranial magnetic stimulation(TMS) involves stimulating a particular area of the brain with magnetic pulses but is less invasive than ECT and has fewer side effects. Like ECT, it’s targeted toward individuals who have not responded well to antidepressants.
Studies have found that people treated with TMS experience significant improvement in their depression symptoms, with remission rates between 30% and 40%.
Researchers have also found that people who had maintenance TMS were also less likely to have a relapse of depressive symptoms.
Because the patients recruited for these studies were individuals who were considered non-responders to antidepressant therapy, the results are believed to represent patients who could, if they don’t give up prematurely, achieve complete remission of symptoms.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Vagus nerve stimulation(VNS), which has sometimes been referred to as “a pacemaker for the brain,” is a more invasive procedure than ECT or TMS. It involves having a pulse generator surgically implanted under the skin of the chest.
What Is Treatment-Resistant Depression?
A Word From VerywellIf you have severe depression, it can be a life-saving act to create a safety plan with the help of your support network. Your safety plan can help provide you with concrete steps to take to cope when your depression is at its worst and when you are having suicidal thoughts.What to Say to Someone Who Is Suicidal
A Word From Verywell
If you have severe depression, it can be a life-saving act to create a safety plan with the help of your support network. Your safety plan can help provide you with concrete steps to take to cope when your depression is at its worst and when you are having suicidal thoughts.
What to Say to Someone Who Is Suicidal
6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cuijpers P, Sijbrandij M, Koole S, Andersson G, Beekman A, Reynolds CF.Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis.World Psychiatry. 2014 Feb;13(1):56-67. doi:10.1002/wps.20089Cipriani A, Furukawa TA, Salanti G, et al.Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 21 antidepressant drugs for the acute treatment of adults with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.The Lancet.2018;391(10128):1357-1366. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32802-7Li M, Yao X, Sun L, et al.Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on depression and its potential mechanism.Front Psychol. 2020;11:80. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00080George MS, Taylor JJ, Short EB.The expanding evidence base for rTMS treatment of depression.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013; 26(1): 13-18. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e32835ab46dMartin DM, Alonzo A, Ho KA, et al.Continuation transcranial direct current stimulation for the prevention of relapse in major depression.J Affect Disord. 2013;144(3):274-278. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.012Conway CR, Kumar A, Xiong W, Bunker M, Aaronson ST, Rush AJ.Chronic vagus nerve stimulation significantly improves quality of life in treatment-resistant major depression.J Clin Psychiatry.2018;79(5):18m12178. doi:10.4088/JCP.18m12178
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cuijpers P, Sijbrandij M, Koole S, Andersson G, Beekman A, Reynolds CF.Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis.World Psychiatry. 2014 Feb;13(1):56-67. doi:10.1002/wps.20089Cipriani A, Furukawa TA, Salanti G, et al.Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 21 antidepressant drugs for the acute treatment of adults with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.The Lancet.2018;391(10128):1357-1366. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32802-7Li M, Yao X, Sun L, et al.Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on depression and its potential mechanism.Front Psychol. 2020;11:80. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00080George MS, Taylor JJ, Short EB.The expanding evidence base for rTMS treatment of depression.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013; 26(1): 13-18. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e32835ab46dMartin DM, Alonzo A, Ho KA, et al.Continuation transcranial direct current stimulation for the prevention of relapse in major depression.J Affect Disord. 2013;144(3):274-278. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.012Conway CR, Kumar A, Xiong W, Bunker M, Aaronson ST, Rush AJ.Chronic vagus nerve stimulation significantly improves quality of life in treatment-resistant major depression.J Clin Psychiatry.2018;79(5):18m12178. doi:10.4088/JCP.18m12178
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cuijpers P, Sijbrandij M, Koole S, Andersson G, Beekman A, Reynolds CF.Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis.World Psychiatry. 2014 Feb;13(1):56-67. doi:10.1002/wps.20089Cipriani A, Furukawa TA, Salanti G, et al.Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 21 antidepressant drugs for the acute treatment of adults with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.The Lancet.2018;391(10128):1357-1366. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32802-7Li M, Yao X, Sun L, et al.Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on depression and its potential mechanism.Front Psychol. 2020;11:80. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00080George MS, Taylor JJ, Short EB.The expanding evidence base for rTMS treatment of depression.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013; 26(1): 13-18. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e32835ab46dMartin DM, Alonzo A, Ho KA, et al.Continuation transcranial direct current stimulation for the prevention of relapse in major depression.J Affect Disord. 2013;144(3):274-278. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.012Conway CR, Kumar A, Xiong W, Bunker M, Aaronson ST, Rush AJ.Chronic vagus nerve stimulation significantly improves quality of life in treatment-resistant major depression.J Clin Psychiatry.2018;79(5):18m12178. doi:10.4088/JCP.18m12178
Cuijpers P, Sijbrandij M, Koole S, Andersson G, Beekman A, Reynolds CF.Adding psychotherapy to antidepressant medication in depression and anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis.World Psychiatry. 2014 Feb;13(1):56-67. doi:10.1002/wps.20089
Cipriani A, Furukawa TA, Salanti G, et al.Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 21 antidepressant drugs for the acute treatment of adults with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.The Lancet.2018;391(10128):1357-1366. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32802-7
Li M, Yao X, Sun L, et al.Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on depression and its potential mechanism.Front Psychol. 2020;11:80. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00080
George MS, Taylor JJ, Short EB.The expanding evidence base for rTMS treatment of depression.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013; 26(1): 13-18. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e32835ab46d
Martin DM, Alonzo A, Ho KA, et al.Continuation transcranial direct current stimulation for the prevention of relapse in major depression.J Affect Disord. 2013;144(3):274-278. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.012
Conway CR, Kumar A, Xiong W, Bunker M, Aaronson ST, Rush AJ.Chronic vagus nerve stimulation significantly improves quality of life in treatment-resistant major depression.J Clin Psychiatry.2018;79(5):18m12178. doi:10.4088/JCP.18m12178
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