![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cubic_me on October 7, 2003, at 9:09:59
Does anyone know of ways to get suicidal thoughts out of your mind? Thinking about suicide seems nearly natural when I'm really down but even when I think I'm ok I've got constant thoughts of it. If I'm in a high building I think I could jump off it, when I walk down the road I consider walking infront of cars. Everything I see I wonder how I could harm myself with it.
Its really frustrating when I know that I'm not low enough in my mood to actually kill myself at the moment. Its stopping me from doing my work and interacting properly with my friends.#
Any ideas?
_me
Posted by Dinah on October 7, 2003, at 9:18:09
In reply to Avoiding suicidal thoughts, posted by cubic_me on October 7, 2003, at 9:09:59
I've never had a whole lot of luck. My best technique is to observe the thoughts/urges like leaves on a stream and to let them float by. If you keep them to yourself they gain power, if you try to suppress them they gain power. If you accept that you are having the thoughts, while having no intention to act on them. Accept that they are thoughts, that they are thoughts that come when you are feeling depressed. But that they are just thoughts.
And check with your psychiatrist about medications. Some people have luck with low dose anti-psychotics, others with antidepressants.
Posted by Penny on October 7, 2003, at 9:43:22
In reply to Avoiding suicidal thoughts, posted by cubic_me on October 7, 2003, at 9:09:59
Wish I could tell you - my pdoc sometimes tells me to take one of my meds (at the time it was Geodon, an antipsychotic) and go to sleep if it got too bad. But it seems that when my brain wants to think about suicide, it will think about suicide.
I have had *some* luck, though, in changing the way I perceive those thoughts. Bought a book (can't remember if I got it online or at a book store) a couple of years ago that has gotten me through some hard times: "Suicide: The Forever Decision" Might be worth a look.
P
Posted by Susan J on October 7, 2003, at 12:44:38
In reply to Avoiding suicidal thoughts, posted by cubic_me on October 7, 2003, at 9:09:59
I don't know if this will help you, but it helped center me.
I don't want to *die.* I want the *pain* to go away. I keep focusing on the fact it's the *pain* I hate, not *life* itself. And I keep reminding myself that there's a way, other than death, to get out of the pain.....
I know that doesn't help much when you feel absolutely hopeless, but if you are feeling a bit better than that, which it sounds like you do, then I hope this helps.
We care about ya, stay strong. :-)
Susan
Posted by Sabina on October 7, 2003, at 18:22:47
In reply to Avoiding suicidal thoughts, posted by cubic_me on October 7, 2003, at 9:09:59
even when i can't think of compelling reasons to live (i don't have children yet, that might be one in the future), i could *always* think of things that i didn't like about the idea of actually dying.
i would think of how bad it would be for whoever found me and what if a child was there when i was found? how crappy would that be to damage a child, a stranger, or a loved one with my sad, twisted bull****?
i would berate myself for being weak enough to give up and how i wanted to believe that i can do/be better than that.
like Penny, i would take a pill (one pill!) and just lie down for awhile.
the silly one is that i didn't want to die while i was still overweight. i at least wanted to leave an attractive corpse!
the worst fear was that my estranged mother, whose religious beliefs are violently opposed to mine, would try to force my husband to hold a service in her church. yikes.
Posted by Camille Dumont on October 7, 2003, at 20:56:13
In reply to Avoiding suicidal thoughts, posted by cubic_me on October 7, 2003, at 9:09:59
> Does anyone know of ways to get suicidal thoughts out of your mind? Thinking about suicide seems nearly natural when I'm really down but even when I think I'm ok I've got constant thoughts of it. If I'm in a high building I think I could jump off it, when I walk down the road I consider walking infront of cars. Everything I see I wonder how I could harm myself with it.
>
> Its really frustrating when I know that I'm not low enough in my mood to actually kill myself at the moment. Its stopping me from doing my work and interacting properly with my friends.#
>
> Any ideas?
>
> _me
I have similar problems and the only solution I've come up with was to get four pet rats. They are totally dependent on me and as I live alone, no one would know about them and they would die.Therefore, by getting them, so long as they live I feel that I'm not "allowed" to die. I have not found a reason to live just yet ... so I've substituted it for a reason not to die. When I feel suicidal, I think about them ... and if it gets terrible I run home, take them all in my bed with me and let them crawl all over me. Its stupid but it works for me.
Posted by cubic_me on October 8, 2003, at 4:48:06
In reply to Re: Avoiding suicidal thoughts, posted by Camille Dumont on October 7, 2003, at 20:56:13
Thanks guys, some of your thoughts really made me smile :)
I've tried a few things to stop the thoughts geting to me - sleep is my best escape, but I've got a busy life and cant afford to do that all the time (tho I'd like to!).
It just really gets to me that even when I think I'm having a good time and I'm really engrossed in things the thoughts still come into my head.
I suppose if I cant get rid of them may as well accept them as part of me and not take too much notice!
_me
Posted by Liligoth on October 11, 2003, at 1:40:24
In reply to Re: Avoiding suicidal thoughts, posted by Camille Dumont on October 7, 2003, at 20:56:13
hey Camille Im a former rat parent myself. I had 6 strapping lads! They eventually succumbed to all the nasties they get because medical advances depend on breeding all sorts of horrors into them. I hope the little ones are successfully giving you some joy.
Posted by Liligoth on October 11, 2003, at 1:43:40
In reply to Re: Avoiding suicidal thoughts, posted by cubic_me on October 8, 2003, at 4:48:06
hi cubic_me,
I find music is absolutely the best to distract me & get that train of thought out. Mainly ambient & classical music as it is very soothing. Also xanax when it gets really persistant & upseting.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Social | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.