Well, here’s my story. I’ve been struggling with suicidal ideation for about eight years and I’m always in and out of the hospital. I want to change but it’s hard when I’ve been cutting myself for years, so my question is: What do I do to like help me? What advice do I need?
CONSIDER THIS:
- Struggling with suicidal thoughts can make you feel hopeless and alone. You are brave for admitting you have a problem and seeking the help you deserve even though it’s difficult to cope.
- It could help a lot to talk to someone who won’t judge you. You can head to the Teen Central website and click the Help tab to call a hotline or textline such as National Suicide Hotline, Crisis Textline or others. You may also speak to a trusted therapist, school counselor or spiritual mentor about your issues. If someone doesn’t listen to you without judgement, find someone who will.
- You can be more spiritual by doing prayer, yoga or meditation. These can help you have inner peace, calm down and focus better. Also, you can attend church services or engage in a higher power practice. Spirituality can help you have something to believe in, accept the things you can’t change and bring meaning into your life.
- Self-harm can be dangerous because you can cause injuries to your body or could accidentally kill yourself without meaning to. It can also lead to having more mental health problems. You can definitely find ways to stop hurting yourself by reading this article: Cutting and Self-Harm from Helpguide.org.
- Knowledge is power. You can head to the Teen Central website and click the Learn tab to read about Depression, Self Injury, Suicide, Spirituality and more. You can even find books at your local library about your issues.
- You can be positive by repeating positive affirmations to yourself when necessary. Read inspirational quotes, and/or write down a few things you’re grateful for in a daily journal. Keep yourself from spiralling out of control by always having something to hope for. This may be a favorite book you read or new movie you’d like to watch. Find something positive to laugh at by reading comics or watching cartoons. Be yourself and do the things you usually enjoy.
- Creativity can help you express your feelings in a healthy way and be yourself more often. Activities include coloring in a coloring book, painting, creative writing, drawing, playing a musical instrument or listening to music you can relate to among others.
- You can practice self-care by taking care of your mind, body and spirit. Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep each night, avoid isolation and be grateful for what you have among other things.
- You can join a support group for teens and feel a sense of community and understanding. You can also join a club, sports team or other group of people who think like you to feel like you belong.
- It’s highly important to make sure you have healthy relationships. You can visit the Teen Central website and click the Tools tab to download resources about healthy and unhealthy relationships, positivity, yoga poses and more. Click the Learn tab to read about Bullying.
- Volunteering not only has a significant impact on the lives of others, but it can also improve your mental health and make your life more meaningful. You might even stop worrying about your own problems so much by focusing on others who need your help. You can train to be a counselor, help out at an animal shelter, read to children or plant trees to help the environment among many others. You can also foster or adopt a pet from a pet shelter. By doing this, you can give unconditional love and get the love you deserve in return.
- Committing to helping yourself with your issues by taking small steps each day can help you make significant progress and live a better life.
HELP YOURSELF:
- In what ways can having a positive mindset help you now and in the future?
- How have people in history (activists, famous people and others) beat their problems and become successful? In what ways can you take their advice?
- How can having healthy relationships help a person have self-respect, love for oneself and live a better life?
- In what ways could your life be more meaningful? How can having meaning and a sense of purpose help you feel like life is worth living?
