Are you in crisis? Please call 1-800-273-TALK
Are you feeling desperate, alone or hopeless?Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Your call will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you.
- Call for yourself or someone you care about
- Free and confidential
- A network of more than 140 crisis centers nationwide
- Available 24/7
The following information is taken directly from the DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance):
What if I am feeling suicidal?
Remember:Suicidal thoughts are temporary. Suicide is permanent. Don’t give in to suicidal thoughts— you can overcome them. Your feelings of hopelessness are not the truth. When you feel this way, it’s your illness talking— your mind is lying to you. Remind yourself that suicidal thoughts are not reality.
If you are thinking of suicide, it is important to recognize these thoughts for what they are: expressions of a treatable medical illness. They are not true and they are not your fault. Don’t let fear, shame or embarrassment stand in the way of communication with your physician, therapist, family, or friends; tell someone right away.
Tell a trusted family member, friend, or other support person, someone you can talk with honestly. Try not to be alone when you feel this way. This may mean sitting quietly with a family member or friend, going to a support group or going to a hospital.
Get help. Tell your health care professional. Suicidal thinking can be treated. When suicidal thoughts occur, they are your signal that, more than ever, you need help from a professional.
Know that you can get through this. Promise yourself you will hold on for another day, hour, minute, or whatever you can manage.
If you are feeling "out of control", it's important to seek help immediately---even if you are not having suicidal thoughts.
How can I be prepared for a crisis?
Often, crises happen without warning, and the best thing you can do to prepare yourself is to make a crisis-plan list for yourself, a friend, or a family member. This list should be shared with everyone you choose. Briefly describe the kind of help you (or your loved one) would like to receive if you have severe depressive or manic symptoms.
Include:- Doctor(s)’ name(s) and contact information
- Contact information of support group and other trusted friends/family members
- Other health problems and medications
- Allergies to/intolerance of any medication
- Insurance or Medicaid information and preferred treatment facilities
- Things that might trigger an episode, such as life events, travel, physical illness or work stress
- Warning signs such as talking very fast, paranoia, lack of sleep, slowed down movement, excessive alcohol or drug use
- Things people can say that are calming and reassuring
- Things people should do in crisis such as take away car keys and lock up anything dangerous such as weapons and medications
- Things emergency staff can do, such as explain things, talk slowly, observe personal space, or write things
- Reasons life is worthwhile and recovery is important
How should I talk to a person in crisis?
- Stay calm. Talk slowly and use reassuring tones.
- Realize you may have trouble communicating with your loved one. Ask simple questions. Repeat them if necessary, using the same words each time.
- Don’t take your loved one’s actions or hurtful words personally.
- Say, “I’m here. I care. I want to help. How can I help you?”
- Don’t say, “Snap out of it,” “Get over it,” or “Stop acting crazy.”
- Don’t handle the crisis alone. Call family, friends, neighbors, people from your place of worship or people from a local support group to help you.
- Don’t threaten to call 911 unless you intend to. When you call 911, police and/or an ambulance are likely to come to your house. This may make your loved one more upset, so use 911 only when you or someone else is in immediate danger.
Fact Sheets
African Americans and Suicide [PDF]
Depression and Suicide [PDF]
Hispanic Suicide [PDF]
Suicide and the Elderly [PDF]
Suicide in the U.S. [PDF]
Surviving after Suicide [PDF]
Youth Suicidal Behavior [PDF]
LGBT Youth and Suicide [PDF]
The Risk Factors for Suicide [PDF]
The following sites offer very good information about suicide:
Other Resources
A website for survivors that includes a lively discussion forum, links to support groups, a recommended book list, even poetry.
Friends and Families of Suicides
Remembering friends and family of those who lost their lives to suicide.
Friends for Survival, Inc.
A national outreach program for survivors of suicide loss. Friends for Survival, Inc. is dedicated to providing a variety of peer support services that comfort those in grief, encourage healing and growth, foster the development of skills to cope with a loss and educate the entire community regarding the impact of suicide.
The Gift of Keith
A website for suicide survivors created by Carol Loehr in memory of her son Keith. Designed to help comfort and inform survivors of suicide, and to educate clergy, health care professionals and counselors. A wide variety of survivor resources.
HEARTBEAT Grief Support Following Suicide
Support for those who have lost a loved one through suicide. HEARTBEAT is a peer support group offering empathy, encouragement and direction following the suicide of a loved one.
Loving Outreach
Web site for a support group in Ontario. The site contains information helpful to survivors.
Memory Tree of Lights
The “Memory Tree of Lights” is a ministry which focuses on the Christmas holiday season and provides comfort, education, intervention and hope to people whose lives have been impacted by the loss of someone to suicide and who are overwhelmed by this loss during the Christmas season.
Music for the Soul
Chaos of the Heart, a CD of music and spoken word, is a faith-based resource for those grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide.
Parents of Suicides
Support for Parents who have lost sons or daughters to suicide.
The Samaritans
Samaritans USA is the coalition of the 11 non-profit, non-religious Samaritans suicide prevention centers in the United States. Its primary purpose is to further the Samaritian's principles of befriending people who are depressed, in crisis and suicidal as practiced on or through our volunteer-staffed crisis response hotlines, public education programs and suicide survivor support groups.
The Sibling Connection
This site has been created as a resource for anyone who has experienced the death of a brother or sister.
SiblingSurvivors.com
A web site dedicated to support for people who have lost a sibling to suicide.
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) is a UK charity that exists to meet the needs and break the isolation of those bereaved by the suicide of a close relative or friend. Their website contains a variety of support material, including testimonies written by survivors.
Parents of children who are bullied.....
During the past few years, there has been an outbreak of suicides related to children and teens being bullied. Feeling helpless and full of despair, these children felt no way out of their situation other than to end their lives.
If you or someone you know, is having difficulties dealing with a bully, please contact me at Samurai Karate Studio, 803-462-9425 and I will help privately for FREE or for a small donation to my foundation. We must work together to help our children feel safe and know that there is HOPE!
2000 Clemson Road
Suite # 9
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425