For Those Who Suffer from Depression
Suggestions and Idea's to cope with the feelings that lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, and how to
get out of the fog from feeling lost
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
Phone: 800-273-8255
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
In emergencies, call 911
For Those Who Suffer:
There are a few things that you can try right away:
1. Practice reaching out to someone you are close to so that it is easier in the future.
3. Distract yourself with healthy tricks during moments of suicidal thoughts or self harm.
2. Understand where the thoughts and feelings come from by looking into the source.
4. Remember, there is no good reason to feel shame or guilt for the fight that you are facing.
Here is the longer explanation of the four suggestions above. First, reach out to someone that you are close to. Practicing opening up to others about what you are experiencing can help you make it through the urges to self harm or through the suicidal thoughts. Another idea is to reach out for medical help. There can be physical reasons at times that contribute to depression. Some medical advice may be in your best interest.
You can also go to the "Worksheet" page in this website and use the "Recognizing My Emotions" worksheet. This will help you understand what happened to send you into the spiral each time. Why is this useful? It is a step in understanding what a cause or what a contributing factor of the depression could be. When you begin to understand where the thoughts come from, you can start to work on solutions that are good for your health.
Find something to distract yourself. Whatever you enjoy doing or can distract you from unhealthy coping habits, jump into that. There are other things you can do. One of the tools is called Dive Reflex. You can make a bowl of ice water, a cold rag, or a cool-pack. Cover your face for 5 seconds. This will trigger the Dive Reflex. You could also place the cold rag or icepack on your forehead or cheeks instead of the whole face to stimulate a similar reaction. Another way of achieving the same affect is to jump into a cool pool or lake. Once it motivates you out of the distressing thoughts or feelings, you can take the time and go into some of your other tools.
Instead of shaming yourself for the thoughts of suicide, depression, or self harm, explore them and attack the feelings and situations that cause them. Focusing the energy of the pain towards healing may help dilute the power of the depression.
It is my sincere hope that these tips help both those of us who suffer from depression, suicidal thoughts, and self harm. I must say that I'm not a licensed therapist or psychologist. If you feel that you need more intensive care, please do not hesitate to get the help you need. There is no shame in asking for help. It takes a brave person to admit that they need support to accomplish a goal. Being brave enough to talk and ask for help can take some hard work. I know that you can do it and if you do, you'll reap the benefits of your courage.
