Feeling suicidal does not mean that you are out of your mind, broken, or weak. It is not a character defect. Having suicidal thoughts only means that you have more pain than you can deal with at that moment in time. This pain seems completely overwhelming. It might even feel like it will never go away. The reasons for this pain are unique to each one of us, and the ability to cope with the pain differs from person to person. People may consider suicide or suicidal thoughts as means of escape and could be caused by undiagnosed mental health issues, traumatic stress of daily living, substance use, loss or fear of loss, hopelessness, chronic pain or illness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, with 45,979 deaths in 2020. This is about one death every 11 minutes. The number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher. It is estimated that 12.2 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million planned a suicide attempt, and 1.2 million attempted suicides.
Suicide can affect all ages and in 2020, suicide was among the top nine leading causes of death for people ages 10-64. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 25-34.
If you or someone you know might be in a dark place right now, here are three important steps to follow.
- Promise not to do anything immediately. Even though you are in a lot of pain at this moment, give yourself some distance between thoughts and action.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol. Suicidal thoughts can become even stronger if you have taken drugs or used alcohol.
- Do not keep these feelings to yourself. Find someone you trust and let them know how bad things are. A friend, a family member, or a neighbor.
It takes courage to contemplate death, but it takes even more courage to face the issues we are dealing with and to get the help and assistance we need. Remember, suicide and death are permanent solutions to temporary problems.
For more information, or to make an appointment to speak with a Care Resource licensed clinician, please call us at 305-576-1234 extension #315.
For more immediate assistance, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or call the National Hopeline Network at 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433).
About Care Resource:
Care Resource is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with four locations in Midtown Miami, Little Havana, Miami Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. The health center provides comprehensive health and support services to address the full health care needs of South Florida’s pediatric, adolescent, and adult populations.
