Hi Sam. For the past couple of years my life has been impacted by wanting to kill my self. It comes and goes but recently it’s getting too much along with other pressures from parents and school. I want to get help but thinking about it makes me feel sick and panicky. I don’t want the people I’m close with to know that I’m struggling as they’ll worry. How do I get help while getting as few people involved as possible?
Sam
Hi there,
Many people have suicidal feelings at some point - it isn't a sign of weakness or something to be ashamed of. Thoughts of wanting to die can affect everything you do. If these thoughts start to affect your social life you might want to isolate yourself, which makes those thoughts stronger. It can be difficult to know how to cope with suicidal feelings, but we've got advice to help.
Getting help if you're feeling suicidal is really important. I hear from a lot of young people who worry that telling people will make their friends and family worry, and this stops them sharing how they feel. Talking to someone is a really important part of getting help. It means that you don't need to deal with everything on your own. If the people around you know what you are struggling with, they can watch out for signs that you are feeling low and be there to support you when you can't cope.
Telling someone you feel suicidal is a hard conversation to have and you may not know how to begin. If you feel like you don't know what to say, use our letter writer to decide how to start. Pick a time and a place that mean you have the space to talk in an environment you are familiar with and feel comfortable in, like at home or at a relative's house.
If you every have suicidal feelings, talk to one of our Childline counsellors. All our conversations are confidential, and we will only share what you have told us if we feel you are going to act on your feelings and try to hurt yourself. This is to keep you safe. If you feel like you might be about to act on your feelings, call 999 and get help straight away.
I hope you've found this useful, thanks for writing.
Take care,
Sam
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