What do you do?

Question

My therapist told me when I feel like ending my life, I should talk to somebody about it. I really do not want the people close to me to know just how screwed-up my life is, so I don't want to confide in them. If you ever found yourself in the same position, what did you do?

No Siddy, I'm not your brother, I don't go to Cambridge, and I like women, not dudes. (Not to say there is anything wrong with that, it is just not my thing.)

Just a little more info.... I am getting professional help for my depression, but it seems like I feel even more depressed after each session. It is almost like I feel guilty for complaining about my life, when I know there are people worse off than me.

Sometimes I almost wish life came with an instruction book. It would make things a lot more easy to figure out.

Answer 1

I definetely understand your situation. I did something like that one time, and a friend called the cops on me! And true, I don't like people to know how screwed up my life is. But you know what? Things have gotten better, and I look back on those times and wonder how I survived. I'm just saying that this will pass, and one day you will feel SO together. Just hang in there.

Answer 2

Even if you think your life is screwed up, you have no idea how many other people in the world are even more screwed up than you. I used to be clinically depressed for many years and one day, just decided to check out of this living hell hole. That didn't work, obviously. :-) You know what made me so miserable?
Failing my grandmother's high expectations by dropping out of high school.

What you can try, in addition to professional therapy and counseling: put yourself in a totally new environment. This means remove yourself from all that is familiar. Do this spectacular and courageous thing. Move to a new city and find a new job. (Join the armed forces. Join the Peace Corp. They give you a job and provide food, money and lodging)

Remember the Disney movie "The Lion King"? Simba ran away after becoming convinced that he killed his own father in the
wildebeest rampage. Do likewise. Run away from your problems if you feel that you can't cope with it at all.

Once far away and safe from your problems that you left behind, it will enable you to look at your problems from the long-view from another different perspective. You can always resolve those problems when you get back, when you are healthy and of sound mind to tackle those problems that seemed so enormous a few months/years/decades ago.

During your self-imposed exile, put all your energies into doing something good for your other suffering human kind. If long-range committment's not your thing, travel to Asia or Africa where the standard of living is unimaginably depraved and deplorable.

All that you've tried so hard to accomplish at home-
academically, professionally, financially, socially-will shrivel up to nothing when you try to cope with these changes and adapt to the simple struggle of other unfortunate people in the world.
What good is any of your belongings or recognition when
you have no mission in life or even satisfaction of what you already have? Throw that kind of junk away from your heart and start anew. When you were a baby, you had nothing. Now that you have a little, you are frustrated with your life and fearful that the steps you've taken to get you so far may fall from under you.

Don't be afraid. You are very important and you have all the right tools to make yourself healthy again. You have no money to travel to the other parts of the world? Borrow it from your family and friends. Your life and your quest for happiness is far more important than a few thousand dollars and a few years.

Incidentally, I hope you're not my over-achiever brother who thinks that he has to constantly impress other people and hide away his problems. I love you bro, even if you just found out that you are gay and are failing all your classes at Cambridge.

Answer 3

Not everyone has a happy life 24/7 it can be very tough at times. Suicide is never the best decision. Just think about it, ending your life might finish your misery, but it'll just increase you friends and family. Just work it out, one by one, step by step. Make a chart. (it really works =]) ...Not everything in life is ment to be solve. If you can't solve it, just let the problem roll off your shoulders, talk to your friends or a close relative or a therapist. At the end, life gets better.

Answer 4

You can find a hotline, like the other person stated, but sometimes the people you consider close to you are the ones that may help you realize that there is help available, and they should support you if they are really close to you. Otherwise a hotline should be available to listen to you when you need to talk, and find you available resources for help. Don't end your life, find a way to help change your life....you will not only hurt yourself, but those close to you.

Answer 5

I've been so close many times to ending it. I haven't told anyone and when I do I try and pretend it's a joke.

The way I've gotten through my depression is just facing the fact that I don't have to impress anyone anymore. I know it's not healthy, but I've found that just the idea of running away helps.

Answer 6

Calling a crisis line will only get you locked into a mental hospital. I don't know anyone who has ever actually been helped inside one though.

If you are not comfortable with talking to people close to you, it may help to find a private online group with people who have the same concerns you have. It's anonymous (mostly) and you can choose to leave whenever you feel uncomfortable (unlike F2F discussion groups).

All the best to you.

Answer 7

This might sound self-serving, but I pray to GOD. It helps me to reflect and I can also hear myself talk -- it is almost like an echo. The more I can reflect, the more I think through my problems. Also, contact a "hotline" to talk to someone that has also contemplated the same thing, so that they can help talk you through it. LIFE IS WORTH LIVING! Give of yourself to others and you will find out; how worthwhile life really is. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 8

The people close to you SHOULD know how "screwed up", as you put it, your life is. Take a deep plunge, child, and open up to the person in your life with whom you feel the closest. If that person loves you, your trust will not be violated, and you just might get on a deeper level spiritually. I wish you life, child.

Answer 9

Find out if there is a crisis hotline number in your area. Call there and talk to the person on the phone. They will listen, and will try to connect you with some help.

Answer 10

Just realize that no one has a perfect life. Even Jesus and Buddha had many challenges in their lives. The more you help others the less you will worry about your own troubles.