SUICIDE PREVENTION

What Does It Feel Like When Someone Is Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts?

Like wearing a smiling mask, the world sees joy, but underneath, the real face is exhausted, anxious, or aching. It’s how it feels when someone is struggling with suicidal thoughts. The pain is real, but it’s hidden. It doesn’t show like a bruise or a scar, so it often gets missed. And when that pain becomes too much, it’s not really about wanting to die, it’s about wanting the pain to end. The fear of death fades because the pain of living feels heavier. What’s needed most in that moment is to feel seen, heard, and not alone.

How Serious Is Suicide as A Global Issue?

Suicide is a growing crisis around the world and needs urgent attention. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 800,000 people, or one person every 40 seconds, die by suicide each year. The global suicide rate stands at 10.5 per 100,000 people, and it’s expected to rise by 10-15% by 2025 if we don't act now.

In India, the suicide situation is deeply concerning. In 2022 alone, over 1.71 lakh people lost their lives to suicide, the highest ever recorded. Behind each number is a real person, often carrying silent pain, feeling overwhelmed, or unable to see a way forward.

Suicides connected to mental health struggles have sharply increased in recent years. It shows how badly we need spaces where people feel safe to speak up, where help is not judged but offered with compassion. We need to talk more openly, support each other without shame, and make sure no one feels alone when they’re struggling. It’s time we stop treating suicide like a taboo and start treating it like the public health crisis it is, with empathy, action and awareness.

What Are The Reasons for Someone to Attempt Suicide?

There is no particular reason why suicidal thoughts arise. Individuals who might be experiencing these thoughts might be going through a mental health concern that they might not be able to identify and don't know how to seek support for it. These thoughts can be very overwhelming, but it's important to understand that they don't define you, and there are ways to deal with suicidal thoughts.

Read More - Hope: The Suicide Prevention Toolkit by Mpower

What Are The Common Signs of Suicidal Thoughts?

Signs of suicidal thoughts can be seen in emotions, verbal cues, and behavioral changes. These are indicators that someone may be contemplating suicide:

• Talking about the feeling of being a burden.
• Expressing hopelessness and helplessness: Thinking that there is nothing that can be done to improve the situation and that nothing will ever get better. It's a deep feeling of being stuck, tired, and seeing no hope for the future.
• Emotional numbness, experiencing extreme mood swings.
• Having no interest in doing activities once enjoyed.
• Mentioning death in conversations.
• Pulling away from loved ones and spending more time alone than usual.

These are some common signs of suicidal thoughts that are seen in individuals, but it is not always necessary that these signs will be visible. An individual can also be friendly, performing all the activities, doing all the things, and staying with their close ones. But not showing the signs that others can identify. For suicide prevention, we must always try to check on our loved ones who might have gone through any major changes in their life or even small behavioral changes that can cause disturbance, which you might be able to observe in others or even oneself.

How Can Suicidal Thoughts Be Managed or Reduced?

The first thing one can do for oneself and others is to recognize and seek support. These are some ways to deal with suicidal thoughts

• Remind yourself that these are only thoughts, and they have no power over me.
• Taking even one small step towards helping yourself counts.
• Try to move away from the spaces where there are harmful things that can hurt you, and move to a safe space.
• Try to seek professional support.
• Speak with someone you can trust.
• Contact the helpline number if you feel your support system is not available.
• Begin by giving yourself 5 minutes each day to do the things that you like or would want to do.
• Remind yourself that these thoughts are temporary, and you can do some breathing exercises to calm yourself in that moment.
• Indulge in small physical activities like walking or running.
• Try to observe things around you, the texture of plants, the soil, the color of it, the structure of things.
• Try to avoid alcohol or other drugs. They might seem like a way to cope, but they usually make things harder in the long run.
• If there are any medications prescribed to you by a mental health professional or any other concern, try to take them on time.
• Indulging in practices that calm your nervous system, be it cooking, running, physical activities, or watching something that uplifts your mood. If you don't have anything that you would want to do right now, maybe trying to search for it would be a great start.
• This is not something you have to face alone. You're not by yourself.
• Most of the time, one is not able to get help for suicidal thoughts because of the experience of extreme emotions, and one is not able to remember what can be done.
• These are some things which can be noted down somewhere, it's easily accessible.

How can friends and family help someone with suicidal thoughts?

Supporting someone with suicidal thoughts requires patience, compassion, and listening without judgment. Here's how to help:

• Listen empathetically - allow them to express themselves without interrupting
• Avoid judgmental statements like “Don't think like that” or “Others have it worse.”
• Encourage professional help — offer to go with them if needed.
• Stay connected — even small check-ins or texts can mean a lot.
• Remove means of self-harm — make the environment safer if possible.
• Know emergency contacts — keep helpline numbers accessible.
p>Rememmber, your role is to support, not to solve. Simply being present can be life-saving.

What should I remember if I'm having suicidal thoughts right now?

If you are feeling suicidal, please remember:

• You are not alone. Many people have felt this way and recovered with help.
• You are not weak. Feeling pain means you've been strong for too long.
This pain is temporary. Healing takes time, but it is possible. Help is available. You can reach out to trusted people or helplines — even one conversation can make a difference.

Imagine how you would treat a loved one who felt this way — that same kindness belongs to you, too. You don't need to face this alone. Small steps can open the door to healing.

Conclusion

It's easier said than done, but try to be kind to yourself. Imagine if someone you love had these painful thoughts. How would you treat them? See yourself through that same caring lens, and maybe you'll find a little more kindness within. Feeling this way does not make you weak; it makes you human.

Remember, the goal isn't to end life but to stop the pain. What could happen if you gave yourself the chance to heal and be heard? You don't have to go through it alone; support is out there. Sometimes, the first step is simply asking for help or sharing how you feel. Even small steps matter.