Condition : Suicidal thoughts

Condition Suicidal thoughts

What are suicidal thoughts?

Suicide is the act of intentionally taking your own life, so suicidal thoughts, also known suicidal feelings or suicidal ideation, can mean having thoughts about people being better off without you, abstract thoughts about ending your life, methods of suicide, and making plans to take your own life.

Having suicidal thoughts will be a different experience for every person.

You do not need to be actively making plans to end your life to have suicidal thoughts. Passive suicidal ideation is when you have thoughts such as “everyone would be better off without me”, or “I wish I was never born”.

You might experience:

feelings of hopelessness, uselessness, or powerlessness
being overwhelmed by emotions or thoughts
numbness (physically or emotionally)
urges to self-harm or misuse substances
thoughts that living is too difficult or you don’t want to exist
isolation, as you avoid others
changes in appetite or sleep
a lack of self-care (not looking after yourself and/or taking risks)
thoughts about making a will or giving away possessions

Suicidal thoughts can come on very suddenly or build up gradually, and there might be times when they are more or less severe. They can be constant, or you might experience them for a short time, and you might find them distressing or reassuring, which can be confusing.

What causes suicidal thoughts?

Many people think about suicide at some point in their life.

Common causes can include:

mental health problems, such as depression
chronic pain and other physical health problems
stress or feelings of shame related to work, relationships, or money problems
abuse and trauma
loneliness
bereavement

It’s common to not understand why you are experiencing suicidal thoughts and, because of this, you might find it hard to believe there could be a solution, but support is always available.

Next steps

Step 1. View our services

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Step 2. Check out our advice

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Step 3. Contact a Healthcare Professional

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Managing your health

Adults

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External support

Children and young people

We've created health advice and resources to help you confidently manage health conditions at home. Browse our expert guidance on self-care - tailored to your specific needs - and practical support to start seeing the benefits to your wellbeing and independence.