Thoughts of Suicide
I'm worried I might hurt myself
If you are in crisis and think you might hurt yourself, get help immediately. Call 9-1-1 or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
If you are not in immediate crisis, talk to someone you trust, such as a family member, friend, church leader, or healthcare professional. Sharing your thoughts with someone can relieve a lot of pressure. Do not let feelings of embarrassment, fear, or shame stop you. Here are additional ideas that may be helpful to you:
- Create a safety plan. A suicide prevention safety plan can help you identify personal strengths, positive relationships, and healthy coping skills that you can use during a crisis.
- Set small goals. Each evening, write down at least one task or goal that you can accomplish the next day. Keep these tasks simple and attainable. Setting small goals and working toward them can help you find a sense of control when everything seems unmanageable.
- Trust in hope. Every year people overcome the challenges of depression and suicidal feelings to do the things they enjoy. Through developing and following a treatment plan, you can dramatically reduce many of your symptoms. People with mental health conditions can and do pursue higher education, succeed in their careers, make friends and have relationships. Mental illness can slow us down for a time, but we don't need to let it stop us.
Learn More
If you have a mental health condition, you're not alone. One in 5 American adults experiences some form of mental illness in any given year. And across the population, 1 in every 25 adults is living with a serious mental health condition such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or long-term recurring major depression. As with other serious illnesses, mental illness is not your fault or that of the people around you. Unfortunately, many people don't seek treatment or remain unaware that their symptoms could be connected to a mental health condition. Work with trusted mental health and healthcare professionals to ensure you get the proper treatment you need.