| The Thoughts Won’t Go Away | Suicide | The Thoughts Won’t Go Away | <div class="ExternalClassD5099BE2C4B041AB80CDBF5052CD064F"><p>For the past month or 2 I've been having suicidal thoughts and I've harmed myself a couple times. My moods have been constantly up and down. I'm really stressed out because the thoughts won't go away. I've also been having daily anxiety attacks and it takes about 2 hours to calm down.<br></p></div> | <div class="ExternalClass5EFAB9CE51394CA48B85EF0384F625D9"><p>We're really glad you decided to reach out for some help tonight. It sounds like you've been struggling a lot lately with your emotions and these thoughts of hurting yourself. Thoughts and feelings can sometimes get really overwhelming and it's definitely smart to ask for support when you need it. </p><p>You mentioned that you've been having suicidal thoughts for the past 2 months. Is there anything that happened that brought these thoughts on or have you just been feeling down for a while without a clear reason? There are certainly lots of things that can contribute to emotional difficulties and suicidal and self-harm thoughts – relationships, school, family, hormones, brain chemistry, even the weather – and it can sometimes help to talk about what's been going on. </p><p>The other thing that can be important when you're in this situation is having good ways to cope with emotional difficulties. Coping skills can be activities that help you release built up emotion, things that soothe or calm you when emotions get out of control, or even distractions that help you to get a little break from everything you are thinking and feeling. Journaling, going for a walk, doing some breathing exercises, playing a game, reading a book, watching TV, or listening to music are all coping mechanisms that can keep you safe from harming yourself and can help you deal with your emotions in a healthy way. </p><p>There are some good resources on our website that you might want to check out that talk about <a href="/Pages/coping-skills.aspx">coping skills</a>, <a href="/Pages/self-injury.aspx">self-harm</a>, and <a href="/Pages/tip-creating-a-safety-plan.aspx?Topic=Suicidal%20Thoughts">creating a safety plan</a>. Check them out when you get a chance.</p><p>If you are ever in immediate danger and need some help to stay safe, please give us a call or talk to a trusted adult about what's going on. It might be a good idea to let your parents know how you've been feeling anyway so they can get you some regular help.<br></p><p>For now, please take care of yourself and let us know how you're doing.<br></p><p>Jen, Crisis Counselor<br></p></div> | 15 | | |
