Suicide is by far the most serious act into which anyone can enter. It is a final act. Once it is completed, it can't be undone. Before coming to this final step, all alternatives must be considered. Below are some alternatives that you might want to think about.

Talk to someone

The first step is talking to someone about your feelings. You are not alone in your feelings of despair and pain. You are not the only person to consider suicide as a solution. You may feel that you are powerless to change the situation or your feelings. You do have that power if you will share the burden of pain with someone who you can trust to take you seriously. This may be a family physician, a friend, a neighbor, a member of the clergy, a co-worker, or other in whom you have confidence. If there is no one who fits this category, a crisis line support group listed in this website can help you begin. If you are a teenager or youth, seek an adult such as a parent, teacher, counselor, clergy person, etc. whom you can trust to take you seriously and to help. All Ohio counties maintain Crisis Hotlines for the purpose of helping callers deal with what seem a to be crises without solutions. These telephone numbers are listed in the page of this website.

Ohio Crisis Hotlines

You may feel that the problems of living have become so heavy and twisted that you can't bear to think of tackling them anymore. Sharing this with another person whom you trust can help you sort through some of them and lighten your burden. Anyone who loves or respects you as a person will do this willingly and will not be hurt by this sharing. If discussions with this person do not resolve the issue quickly and lead you away from your state of depression and despair, professional assistance is available through private and public practitioners in psychiatry, psychology, social work, counseling and others who are experienced in depression. These people may be contacted through family physicians, Crisis centers, Community Mental Health Centers, Hospital Emergency Rooms, and insurance provider listings. Local mental health support organizations such as the Mental Health Association, National Association for Mentally Illness and others may be helpful.

Understand the reason fordepression

Many bleak depressions aren't caused by life situations even though they seem to be. Long term depression characterized by a loss of all joy for life, loss of enthusiasm for anything, loss or gain of significant amounts of weight, listlessness, over-sleeping or insomnia, isolation from others, reliance on alcohol or drugs, and difficulty concentrating or focusing all can be signs of a depression that results from an imbalance in body chemistry. This depression will not be resolved by talk alone. For this type of depression, medication may be required to put the body back in balance. As your depression begins to lift, normal patterns of activity, sleep, enjoyment, appetite, memory and thinking skills will return.

Depression support groups exist in many local communities. These groups are designed to help people suffering from depression meet with others who have suffered from the same pain, and to learn that they are not alone. These groups also provide help and support for individuals who are suffering. They assist members in dealing with their individual issues and refer them to competent, qualified help within the community. Third, support groups offer education for sufferers and their families in order to increase awareness of depression and its causes and treatment. You can find these groups through local County Community Mental Health Boards, NAMI offices, Mental Health Associations, or yellow pages. Visit our Resources page for more information.

Let your family know how you're feeling

The brunt of the emotional loss, shame, guilt, and material burden in the case of a suicide is left with the family. It is only fair therefore that prior to putting suicidal thoughts into practice, at least one family member should hear the truth about your pain, suffering, and need for help. Chances are, they aren't aware of how deep the pain goes. Some family member who you are close to or trust may be able to help in sorting out the issues, and finding ways to solve the problems.

Don't be disappointed in people who may tell you that your problems are just "not that serious" or that they need to, "forget their problems," or offer other advice that minimizes your pain. This is certainly not helpful and only reflects a lack of knowledge on their part, not your unworthiness or inability to cope, Seek another source of help or a professional in crisis resolution as you would with any other problem in your life