Suicidal thoughts

You are not alone in having suicidal thoughts when life feels too hard. If you have thoughts about hurting yourself or taking your life, help is available. Life changes over time and can get better in ways you don’t believe possible before you get help to find the way forward.

Going through difficult times can make life feel painful, meaningless and hopeless. Sudden negative events such as life crises or failures can feel impossible to live with. Thoughts of not wanting to go on living can take shape when it is difficult to see any solution or ways to change the situation and the mental and/or physical pain feels difficult to bear. Death can feel like a solution to what seems overwhelming.

Suicidal thoughts are often a consequence of feeling mentally unwell in a way that temporarily weakens the ability to find solutions to problems. The thoughts usually arise because you want to change your situation and end the suffering you feel. When you have thoughts of taking your life, it is common to think that nothing can get better. We often perceive our thoughts as truths rather than thoughts. Such thoughts can therefore be very convincing, as if there is no alternative, but there are always other possibilities.

Often, you feel alone with your thoughts and feelings and have a hard time believing that someone can understand or that there is help available. It is also common to carry feelings of guilt and shame and think that you are not worthy of help. The thought of taking your own life can make you afraid that you are losing your mind and that you could actually do something to yourself. 

Tell someone close to you how you feel

The first step to getting help is to tell someone about how you are feeling and what you are thinking. It could be a loved one or someone else you trust. You could also talk to an outsider on a help line. Help lines are available both in chat form and as phone calls. By sharing your experience with someone, it can weigh less heavy on you and help you feel less alone. It may also be that you need professional help to cope with what is troubling you, and then you need to contact your local healthcare centre or emergency psychiatry service. 

Remember that there are different ways to get help. If you have previously sought help and felt that the support you received was not right for you, it is important to know that other help is available. 

When you should seek help for suicidal thoughts

• If you have thoughts about hurting yourself or taking your life 
• If you start to move on to thoughts about how you would proceed  

If it feels overwhelming to seek help yourself, ask someone close to you to help you.

If you have acute suicidal thoughts

If you plan to take your life, always call 112. 

What you can do yourself to feel better

• Tell someone you trust how you feel and about the thoughts you have.
  It helps break your recurring thoughts, get distance from them, and shift perspective.  
• Stick to your routines.
  Try to move, eat and sleep regularly. It can help when going through anxiety and depression. 
• Try to stay awake during the day and sleep at night.
  It is good to be out in daylight for a while every day. 
• Do things you used to like doing.
  Even if it feels pointless right now and you don’t feel like doing anything, it is still a way to get back in touch with things that can increase positive emotions. 
• Avoid alcohol and other drugs.
  They increase your vulnerability and can worsen anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, even if you think they help at the time.
• Have compassion for yourself.
  When we feel bad, we are often more judgemental about ourselves than we would be about a friend. Then we need to turn our perspective around and remind ourselves of how we would approach a loved one who feels bad and is having a hard time. How would you care for a friend who was feeling bad?   

If you need to talk to someone

There are several helplines and phone numbers you can call for support and help. Here are some of them:

• National helpline: 90 390 (or 020-290 390 if calling from a foreign number) 
• Jourhavande medmänniska (On-call attendee): 08-702 16 80
• On-call priest: can be reached via 112
• Mind Suicide Line: chat via mind.se or phone 90101
• The National Association of SPES (suicide prevention and support for those affected by suicide): 020-18 18 00