Content warning: This post talks openly about suicide and suicide attempts, in the context of exploring my own thoughts about suicide.
It’s National Suicide Prevention Week, so it seems like an appropriate time to talk about suicide in all its ugliness. I have attempted suicide multiple times; most were associated with my first episode of depression just over 10 years ago. Suicidal thinking is a symptom of my illness, and it will most likely recur when things get really dark. It’s something abnormal that unfortunately has come to be all too familiar.
In 2007, I had three suicide attempts outside of hospital, plus multiple attempts while in hospital that resulted in me being sent to psych ICU. At the time of the first attempt, I hadn’t been diagnosed with anything yet; still, I was pretty certain that it was depression. The suicidal thinking had been building, and then it got to the point where I had a plan. The next step was getting pills, and finally, I ended up taking those pills. Each of these steps was well thought out and took some time; there was nothing impulsive about any of it.
I tried to hold off as long as I could out of a sense of responsibility to my family and other people in my life, but things were just so bleak and hopeless that the idea of remaining alive seemed totally intolerable. The suicidal thinking was new to me at that point, so it was hard to figure out ways to cope. I went through a brief phase of cutting as an alternate way to deal with the pain.
When I became depressed in 2010, initially, suicidality wasn’t among the symptoms I was experiencing. However, as the episode extended over the next year I began having ever-increasing thoughts of suicide. I took myself to hospital voluntarily, but had a very negative experience, and I ended up being discharged without feeling any better.
I developed a suicide plan involving my psych meds. At the time, I was working Monday to Friday with every other Friday off, and my plan was to take the pills on one of my Fridays off so no one would notice anything out of the ordinary until Monday. Each Friday off, I would evaluate whether I or not I could make it through until the next Friday off.
Eventually one Friday I decided I just couldn’t take the pain anymore, and I took the pills. Over the next few days, I alternated between sleeping and wandering around deliriously. When I didn’t show up for work on Monday, they called the police. When the police showed up at my door, I was totally loopy, and they hauled me off to hospital. The only regrets I had at that point in time were about being found and being alive.
I haven’t attempted suicide since then, but there have been a few occasions when I’ve taken steps towards enacting a plan to kill myself. What has stopped me has been fear—not fear of dying, but fear of “failing” to kill myself.
I generally don’t tell people when I feel suicidal, partly because I don’t feel like talking will help, and partly because I have a strong aversion to getting committed to hospital. I’ve come to the conclusion that, given the history of my illness, chances are fairly good that I will eventually, at some nebulous point in the future, end up dying by suicide. I don’t say this because I desire this outcome or because I’m suicidal right now, but in terms of simple probability, it seems the most likely.
That brings me back to what I said in my post yesterday. To really decrease the risk of suicide in those of us living with mental illness, we need more than just awareness, we need better treatment. We need more than just an ear to listen to us; we need something tangible that will truly make a difference and create a bright light of hope. We need better choices to be available to us. And that can’t come soon enough.
The Straight Talk on Suicide page has crisis and safety planning resources, along with info on suicide-related topics from the perspective of someone who’s been there.
I’m glad you’re here. Keep up the fight
Thanks ❤️
You have shared so openly and that, the honest dialogue and acknowledgement of the issue, is what helps drive things forward and lets others know they’re not alone. Totally agree, more tangible help and treatment is needed.xx
Yes we really do need treatments available so that there is an option that works for everyone.
I know those thoughts all too well. Keep choosing to survive. I feel like the more we, as suicidal consumed people, talk about this the more people will be able to understand and find some kind of help that WILL HELP. Thank you for your vulnerability to share this with us. <3
Thanks ❤️ I agree, speaking up about this topic is really important.
I’ve been having some pretty strong suicidal thoughts the past couple days. Am hanging in there, but it sucks 🙁
Yeah it’s tough. I guess the good (?) thing about having experience with these kinds of thought means we know they usually start to subside eventually. Glad you’re hanging on.
Thanks 💕
Thank you for sharing with such honesty.
Im glad you’re here. Thank you for being so open and honest. It helps bring awareness and I hope better understanding for better treatment options.
Oh honey…I was literally crying because I understand your pain…thank you for your honesty. Please stay alive and i totally agree, we really do need better treatment. <3
Thank you for your honesty. It really helps. <3.
Thank you for sharing, it helps more than you know xxx
I’m so glad you have shared this. We all need to open up more. Because the more we open up, the less of a stigma it can become. Again, thank you.
Yes it’s definitely the kind of topic the more it’s talked about the better.