The Suicide Prevention Toolkit
By: Megan Muñoz IMH
Some find it difficult to understand the struggle many have with
suicidal thoughts. Part of this struggle has to do with how
we sometimes categorize things we don’t understand. Suicidal thoughts and
suicide are often thought of in black and white terms. For example: either
someone is terribly depressed and suicidal or the thought has never entered
their mind. But suicide and suicidal thoughts have a much longer and broader
spectrum than we often realize. There is a long and difficult road of gray hues
that fill in the gap between the starting point of never having had a suicidal
thought and the end point where the act of suicide takes place.
We are not born with suicidal thoughts. However, we are born with
the capacity to become overwhelmed by stress, adversity and pain that can threaten
our ability to cope and lead towards thoughts of suicide as a solution. No one
is completely exempt from the possibility of developing suicidal thoughts, however,
some are born with a genetic disposition towards mental health struggles and
lower resistance to stress. This can combine with painful and traumatic life
circumstances and leave them feeling hopeless and stuck.
We all have a tipping point, where our capacity to live in the
midst of internal and external chaos is challenged and we feel like we have
exhausted all the tools in our life-coping toolbox. When this happens, suicide
can seem like the only available tool left. Now let's talk about this tool that
ends up in the toolbox of so many people. Varying degrees of suicidal thoughts
can be found in others more often than we realize. Towards the lower and
lighter end of the spectrum, we hear “I just want to give up,” “this feels
impossible” or “there is no way out.” Towards the higher and darker side, these
thoughts evolve into, “I don’t want to be here anymore,” “the only way out is
to end my life,” “if I kill myself, the pain will go away” or “everyone would
be better off if I were dead.”
The more suicidal thoughts creep in, the more they become a
plausible solution to overwhelming situations and struggles. Suicide rises to
the top of the tool pile in the toolbox when hope in all the other instruments
has been exhausted. The more suicide becomes the go-to tool, the quicker it
will be reached for as the solution.
In light of this, what other tools can we reach for when we feel
overwhelmed and weighed down by life?
Connection to others might just
be one of the most valuable tools we have. One of our strongest means of fighting
against despair and hopelessness is our connection to one another and a larger
community. Even in the midst of terrible tragedy and trauma, there is much
healing in the midst of safe and consistent community. Join a small group or
therapy group; call a friend or family member; let someone know that you are
struggling. If you are beginning to isolate yourself from community and relationships
with others, this can be a warning sign that something is spinning out of
control inside of you and you are losing capacity to cope.
Keep a list of phone numbers of people you can
trust to call when you are experiencing emotional distress, suicidal thoughts
or the desire to self-harm.
Create a box of items
that make you feel
calm and restore joy and hope in your life. Fill it with positive things that
make you happy, for example:
·
A list of songs that are inspirational and build you up.
·
A self-made book of motivational quotes that remind you of your
value and purpose.
·
Paints, pencils and other artistic items to help you express how
you are feeling and create a unique piece of art to tell your story.
·
Pictures of people and places you love to remind yourself of the
people that love you and the places that make you happy.
·
Funds or coupons to treat yourself to your favorite restaurant or
coffee shop.
Identify what is causing you
to feel overwhelmed and hopeless. Maybe it is a certain relationship,
increasing stress at work or school, a recent life event such as a loss, trauma
or accident.
Seek Counseling. Talk to a counselor
or trained health professional about the suicidal thoughts you’ve been having.
They can help you process and identify triggers for these thoughts and help you
create a plan forward towards healing and health.
Call the suicide hotline 1-800-273-8255. Crisis centers around the
US are available 24/7 to provide free and confidential emotional support.
When thoughts of suicide feel like the only tool left in the toolbox,
it is difficult to access others, but there are always other options, even when
it feels like they are lying out of reach. Even though it can be scary to invite
someone into these deep parts of your struggle, trusted people can be a big
help in finding the tools you need. With the right ones, you can work through
and overcome suicidal thoughts so you can move forward in your life.