A Message to Someone With Suicidal Thoughts

Sometimes when you're suicidal repeatedly for decades, you pray that it gets so bad this time that you actually find the strength to do it once and for all and never have to face it again.

Its very hard not to be suicidal in this cold world. I don’t know how people don’t be

I lost a close friend to the silent war. He had it all, two amazing little girls, great wife, nice house, solid career and a creative outlet. On the outside, everything was there that the typical person would "need" to be fulfilled & yet he still ended it all. Not a single friend or family member had a clue that he was suffering. It's been 9 years & I still cry for my friend & the wake of perpetual pain left behind for his family. I love you Julian, RIP

I do. I carry this burden alone. I have no one. All my family has passed away. I have always struggled to make friends. I am scared to decompose into a couch due to no one knowing I have died. I am 36 and my whole life so far has been this. I may be alive, but I do not feel like I am living. Just existing for whatever reason. I just don’t know

Once me and some friends recieved a cryptic phone call from a suicidally depressed friend and we all responded very seriously and got him off his 9th floor balcony. Two days later he jumped from it anyway. We saved him for two days. I tell this story often because people torment themselves over what if they had been there at the right moment. Even if you had been theres no guarantee they would still be here, you cant blame yourself.

Sometimes life gets to a point when there is just nobody left to turn to.

I did tell someone. Which led to the hospital which led to an awful mental hospital stay. Telling did not help. Now here I am three years later wanting to just be gone. No more sharing, no more medications. I'm just done

I have felt suicidal regularly since my early 20's. I am now 39 and still suffer with these thoughts and feelings. I have found getting out and immersing myself in nature, trying to focus on the different species of plants and animals on display is very helpful. It helps me forget about my own problems and escape the torment of my own mind/ego. Listening to Dr Peterson has helped me a lot. Thank god for people like him who actually care and understand the suffering of their fellow humans.

This man inspired me to become a therapist and I work at a psychiatric hospital doing therapy almost exclusively with suicidal people. Thank you so much for all you do, Dr. Peterson.

I was suicidal for several years following a childhood and youth marked by CSA, domestic violence and war. I kept myself alive from hour to hour. I said "I can do it in an hour." Eventually, I said "I can do it tomorrow." Eventually I got to the point of "It's the pain talking. I want the pain to stop, I don't want to die." Now, over 20 years into my healing journey, I am no longer suicidal. I am 38 years old and I am grateful to be alive. I still feel pain, I still suffer, I still feel the nearly unbearable panic when I feel abandoned or threatened by someone I love, but I've learned to respect my innate right to live. Healing is not easy at all, but it's a) possible b) worth it.

It doesn't matter if someone is suicidal. If they have a plan or not. Someone who says they feel like they want to die should NEVER be taken lightly. Why would you want someone to suffer like this. I once had a nurse tell me it was normal to want to die as long as you don't do anything about it. Yeah that's super helpful!

61 yrs old still suffering.Just keep putting it off ..today.I came pretty close..

I’m a 911 call taker and when I get a call for someone on the edge of a building or with a gun to their head, I tell them, “You can always do it later, but if you do it now and don’t want to, you can’t take it back.” Great advice! It at least buys time while they’re thinking.

I am in my early-mid 20s. The main reason behind suicidal thoughts is loneliness. When you have dealt with painful experiences on your own and you don't have anybody to share it with and you still face some patterns everyday it gets tough. You may be surrounded by wholesome family but you may still be very lonely because they had no idea and still don't have any idea about how you see the world and what you been dealing with. And when you're fighting on your own for too long , it doesn't take you anywhere it gets very dark.

Procrastination is my best thing. I got up yesterday, did dishes ,had breakfast, walked the dog, got ready for an appointment --then realized it was Sunday, not Monday. My usual waking thought is I just can't even. But some how I got a free day.

As someone who has really struggled with these thoughts and plans without telling anyone , I have to think of my wife and kids, they need me. They love me, much more than I can hate myself. I cannot and will not put them through that pain. So I soldier on, and it will pass. Tough times don't last forever.

As someone said, suicide is not a choice. It's a math equation. When the suffering, pain and despair exceeds all the resources you can access to deal with it, it happens.

I almost succeeded in my own attempt at age 14. That was 42 years ago. Coming home from the hospital following my attempt, I wept at the sight of the setting sun, and pledged to myself that I wanted to see as many sunsets as possible thereafter. Now, I rarely miss one, and yesterday's sunset was incredible. Some days are hard even still, but if I can make it to see the sunset, I am never disappointed.

I'm here right now. I am alone. There's no clear path out. And I'm tired. Tired of fighting the same mental battle. Tired of all the awful things those I've loved have said to me playing over and over in my brain. They're all true. I've got nothing going for me. I'm pretty much at the end.

My youngest sister was physically abused by her spouse and couldn’t take it anymore. She competed suicide and My Father never recovered, I for one don’t blame her for wanting out. She had reached more than what she could handle and proceeded to try to permanently end that pain, Which caused more pain. It’s always horrible for those left behind. I get that. But people need to stop blaming themselves and criminalizing the deceased for wanting out of pain. As someone who thinks about suicide frequently, I really wish people would treat those who feel this way as someone who might also have cancer or something similar that may or may not be treatable. Can we just love one another and cherish each other for as long as we draw breath. It isn’t telling someone not to jump that stops them. It’s trying to understand their pain. Sitting with them in their darkest moments while they try to push everyone away and to hide the pain because they feel ashamed or terrified. We need to feel we matter to someone or something in this lonely messed up planet.