Suicide: An Honest Discussion

PLEASE HELP OTHERS AND REBLOG

Another week, another video. Except this week it isn’t just “another video”. It’s probably one of my most important to date.

I can’t tell you how many times since I have started working as a therapist that I hear about suicidal thoughts, attempts etc. I don’t say this to make light of the situation. I do say it so that you understand that it happens. It is my belief that we can prevent this from happening, and you have all the tools to help yourself at home right now!

I want you to find a journal that you haven’t used yet, and hop online. We are going to look up some motivational quotes and write them down in your journal. You only need to find a couple of them that really touch you. Then turn the page. I want you to them write down your reasons for recovery. I know you don’t think you have any, but you do! Think about things that you want to be around for, or dreams that you have had before your ED told you you couldn’t. 

The last thing I want you to do is reach out to one person!! Anyone! They could be on twitter, tumblr, youtube, a friend, a facebook friend, or even a suicide hotline. I don’t care who, just as long as you reach out for help. Cause we all know that when we are struggling we have been isolating, canceling plans, staying in bed all day, and not seeing anyone. So reach out! You are worth recovery! You can do this! I know it is hard but I am here to help and we can all work together and fight through this! I want you to listen to this video closely, replay it if you are having a hard time. There is a better way and a brighter future for you, and we can get there together!

Suicide Prevention - Healthy Mind, Healthy Body (by KatiMorton)

This week’s video touches on something that can be very scary to talk about, suicide. The reason that I wanted to take the time to talk about this topic is because I have heard from many of you that either you have had suicidal thoughts or you know someone who is. Due to the way I was trained I believe that the worst thing I could do would be to not talk about it. It is my belief that the more we talk about things, the less power it has over us. That is why I created my site and these videos; to increase the amount of positive “talk” our there, because our ED’s thrive in isolation and silence. 

First I want to address what to do if you yourself are having thoughts of suicide. Obviously, based on what I just said, the first thing to do would be to contact someone you trust. This could be a best friend, a therapist, a parent, whoever. Just make sure that they are supportive and loving and they have a great history of acting that way with you. You do not need to dump all of your thoughts and concerns right away, it is okay to just let them know you have been struggling and having a hard time motivating yourself to do anything to help. Or whatever it is you are feeling, but do not feel like you have to dump all of your suicidal thoughts on them at once. What we are working to create with this is a safe place to talk about your struggles and to get some support. You can also create videos and post them on my site or create your own youtube channel and post them there. Also, journaling can be a great tool to help us really think about what it going on and maybe get some insight into why we are feeling the way we are. If we can figure that out, we will be better armed to deal with the thoughts the next time around. 

Secondly I want to discuss what to do if someone you know is having suicidal thoughts and they told you about it. Well first I would refer them to a hotline or a teen help line. These can differ depending on where you live, but I would just search for the ones in your area and have them written down somewhere so that you have them in a crisis. After giving them that information I would be supportive and caring, but be cautious of getting wrapped up in it. Just like we talked about last week, we need to protect ourselves and our recovery. You can still be supportive and loving, but you don’t want to get to so wrapped up in it that we ourselves begin to struggle. You can also let me know about it. I would be more than happy to help out. I will not post anything publically or anything, but I will do my best to contact them privately and offer some support and understanding. 

Obviously there is a lot more to talk about when it comes to dealing with suicide and suicidal thoughts, but these are just some helpful tips so that if something happens, we have a plan and can work together to continue building this community working towards a healthy mind and a healthy body.