If you have ever loved someone who wanted to end their life, you might know the feeling of fear, mixed with sadness and frustration. It can be difficult to understand why another person would not want to live if you’ve never felt that way. In my line of work I’ve spoken to many people who have been suicidal at various times in their lives, I’ve spoken to people who have just recently attempted to end their life and some who had plans to do so. I’ve also spoken to people whose thoughts of about suicide varied over time, from just being sort of in the background to feeling very urgent. Sometimes those who love people who experience a lot of suicidal thoughts become frustrated and assume that either the person they love is not really that suicidal or that there is nothing they can do to help and so they give up.
I came across this article recently and wanted to share it. Anna Borges shares about what it’s like to have suicidal thoughts. She speaks about ways to be a support to a person who experiences suicidal thoughts in her article “I am Not Always Very Attached to Being Alive.”
Also check out my article 9 Ways to Support a Loved One with Mental Illness
It's Not Just You 