If you were suicidal, would you tell someone?

Question

I wondered if anyone felt like me.

I did not tell anyone that I was actively suicidal. It was only a couple of months ago that I told my doctor. That was a mistake for me. I didn't want to put the burden on anyone. People who are truely suicidal, I would think they wouldn't tell anyone. Or maybe I'm the only one who thinks that way.

Answer 1

Interesting question. I wouldn't tell close friends and family, as I wouldn't want to hurt or burden them. I haven't told them that the reason I have been purposely near starving myself for a week, was to hurt myself, to make myself ill, and most importantly to keep my mind off from taking another OD. I am eating again now I feel a little stronger, it is still difficult to avert my desire to take yet more pills, and not eating very much really did help.

There was an afternoon when I was off antidepressants, menstrating and just started full time work where I wanted to die, felt desperate and struggled to get to sleep, as I couldn't stop crying. I didn't tell anybody, but in the end I overdosed on 24 paracetamol with a can of cider to calm myself down, so that I could sleep, if I could just sleep I would be ok. Well I awoke at 3 in the morning throwing up which didn't stop until I was in A&E. Though I took this to live I didn't care if I'd died or not. It worked and I did calm down. I told all of this to the psychiatrist and was sent home to see my gp, despite me telling him that I couldn't talk to my gp. The lovely doctor also told my mum and sister that I was ambiguous to death and was very likely to overdose again in the future (which I also admitted to him).

I can understand your dilenma Randy. A large part of me wants to scream my problems from the roof tops for everybody to hear, to be truthful about everything (I cannot even talk to my therapist). Another part of me is afraid to let anybody know, as I still obssess about someday they may want to take me away, I am paranoid about this in fact. I also don't want to upset and hurt my family any more than I have already, though a lot of the time I don't feel safe.

Answer 2

This one I don't get.. suicide is not a joke. Why would it be a burden? There is a break down somewhere in transmission. People who are really suicidal are dead. Life is very precious and suicide is the final selfish act. It's not protecting your loved ones from anything, it's robbing them of someone they care about. So, my question is if that was truly your thought that you would save them the burden why would you place them under an eternity of torment with your suicide? Now that is cruel. I have told my boys that no matter what happens in their life, life is precious and whatever is wrong today is not so bad that it cannot be fixed tomorrow, but if you take that choice when things are bad, you'll never know how great tomorrow would have been. There is someone, one person that if you went out of their life their life would forever be changed. I don't think you are the only one who thinks that way and there's no reason for you to think that way.. your life no matter what state it is in can be better tomorrow, if you choose it.

Answer 3

You're definitely not the only one. I've been suicidal many times and never tell anyone. I just tell my doctor and psychologist that I've had suicidal thoughts and nothing else. I don't go any further. I've been asked if I've ever made plans and I lie and say "No". I feel bad about lying but I don't want it on my medical record, confidential or not. Maybe in the future I'll feel more comfortable about talking about it but not right now. So whenever I feel suicidal, I pretty much handle it myself. It's what works best for me.

Answer 4

Everyone is different. Some people tell and some don't. Nothing is ever always or never. You did the right thing by telling, though. If you have ever been through someone you love committing suicide, you know that this is usually so very devastating. We are here on earth for a reason, you aren't getting out of any painful lessons or experiences by forcing your death prematurely. You might as well learn to deal. At least that way you aren't adding to your misery by hurting people who love you. And yourself.

Answer 5

When I was suicidal I told people because it was the only thing I could think about and I felt like I had nothing else to talk about. All I wanted to do was die and it was tough pretending it wasn't happening. I did not want to feel suicidal, they were intrusive thoughts and I wanted it to go away. I was asking for help when I told people. I wanted to know what to do to stop wanting to die. I knew it was a part of a mental illness that was untreated and I knew there may be hope for me. I wanted someone to tell me how to get that help. I was so depressed that I needed someone to walk me through the process of getting the help I needed.

Answer 6

Of course I would tell someone, If I didn't how would I get the help that I need??? I have a family that cares about me especially my children and they would be devastaed. Why would you not want the help?? IF you were truly sucicidal you would have made an attempt and that would have put you in the hospital by now. I think that you're looking for help and I think that you should turn to your doctor. That's what they are there for and they do not consider it a burden that's what they are there for and what they have chosen todo with their lives.

Answer 7

Twenty years ago my best friend told me that he was suicidal. He told me constantly. Rather than report it to someone who could have helped him, I made the fatal mistake of telling him that if he was going to kill himself just do it because I was tired of hearing it. I left, walked down three steps, and he killed himself. I felt guilty for a long time. It is not a burden to tell someone. It is more of a burden when you commit suicide because it leaves too many questions for family and friends.

Answer 8

It's a good thing you told your doctor, maybe he can help you, he should be there to help you. It's nice of you not wishing to burden anyone - I'm thinking of friends and family, but someone like a doctor should know as he knows what to do to help you, or you should find a psychologist/ psychiatrist to do that for you.

Answer 9

People who are suicidal usually tells someone, and they are to be taken seriously because it´s like a little announcement of what they are planning. I guess they want to be stopped at some point, but they can´t find a way out.
It was ok you told the doctor, specially if you had been doing plans for it.

Answer 10

Most people who contemplate suicide feel that yeah it would be more a burden for others to know yet they still exhibit cries for help sometimes in subtle ways or sometimes in erratic ways that make people take notice...though if you go and tell someone and they take it upon themselves to help you that is a good thing its not a burden to save another's life...so don't regret your doctor stepped in and helped ya out...thank the man