Ending your own life is permanent. It shuts down any hope that a person might have for happiness in the future. People who commit suicide are looking for a solution to their suffering. But that doesn’t mean that they want to stop living.

Why?

People who are suicidal suffer for a long time. They enter a very dark period of depression and sadness. During this time, they might try to solve their problems in other ways, but nothing seems to work. Some people might start using drugs or alcohol to feel better, but that only makes things worse.

What does it look like?

Suicidal people often shut themselves off from the rest of the world. They feel too badly to do anything they used to enjoy, or be around the people who love them. They might seem angry or tired all of the time, or stop taking care of themselves for weeks or even months. They might obsess over dying or act like they don’t care about what happens to them. A person who is suicidal might say things like:

It’s important to remember that someone who talks about committing suicide probably doesn’t want to die. Talking about it is a major warning sign, but there is still hope. It’s very important to get help when someone starts talking about killing themselves.

 

If you are feeling suicidal, or have a plan to commit suicide, please call 9-1-1.

You can also call Kids Help Phone to speak to a counsellor: 1-800-668-6868. We can help you. You don’t have to handle this on your own.