What Are Suicidal Thoughts and Do I Need Help for Them?
Important Takeaways
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Suicidal thoughts range from passing thoughts about death to specific plans about ending your life. All of them deserve care and attention, and having them does not mean you will act on them.
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If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts, reaching out for help right away is the most important step you can take. Support is available at any time of day, and you don’t have to face this alone.
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With the right treatment and support, suicidal feelings can be overcome. Even if your situation feels hopeless right now, there are people who care about you and want you here.
Sometimes we experience so much pain, loss, or numbness that we start to feel hopeless—like there is no way out of how we’re feeling. When we feel hopeless or overwhelmed, we may start to have thoughts of suicide. With the right treatment and support, you can overcome feeling suicidal.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, it is important to get professional mental health support.
There are people ready to help you at any time of day.
- Text HOME to 741-741 for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor any time of day.
- If you feel unsafe right now, text or call 988 or use the chat function at 988lifeline.org.
- If this is a medical emergency or there is immediate danger of harm, call 911 and explain that you need support for a mental health crisis.
What Suicidal Thoughts Feel Like
Suicidal thoughts can range from passing thoughts about death, such as wondering what it feels like to die or thinking, “What if I just went to sleep and didn’t wake up?” to specific plans about suicide, such as thinking about how and when you might end your life. Passing thoughts of suicide can get worse if they are not addressed. If you are struggling with any of these feelings or behaviors, it is time to reach out for support:
- Feeling disconnected from others or withdrawing from friends and family.
- Feeling trapped in an intolerable situation.
- Feeling like a burden to others or telling others they would be better off without you.
- Thinking, talking, or posting online about death or violence.
How Do I Know If I Need Help for Suicidal Thoughts?
If you are having suicidal thoughts, it is important that you have regular mental health support through a therapist or school or campus counselor. It’s also important to know when you need to get immediate help.
If you are already having suicidal thoughts, big life changes or tragic events — such as a death in the family, ending a relationship, or getting laid off from a job — can cause those feelings to become more intense or more frequent. If you feel like your suicidal thoughts are getting worse, here are some warning signs to look out for:
Dangerous behaviors:
- Driving recklessly, such as driving under the influence or without a seat belt.
- Increasing drug or alcohol use.
- Engaging in risky sex.
- Starting or increasing self-injury.
- Changes in diet, either restricting your eating or binge eating.
- Changes in sleep patterns, either sleeping too much or too little.
Big changes in mood:
- Experiencing mood swings of extreme sadness, rage, or anxiety.
- Feeling increased irritability or agitation.
- A sudden shift in behavior from agitated or angry to calm or even cheerful. It may seem like an improvement, but it can be a warning signal for a suicide attempt because it can indicate being “at peace” with ending life. If you start to feel this way, seek help immediately.
If you experience a loss, a sudden life change, or any of these changes in your mood or behavior, reach out for help right away. If you notice these behaviors in a friend or loved one, check in with them, tell them what you’ve noticed, and ask if they need help.
Find out how to help someone who may be suicidal.
If you are feeling suicidal, remember that suicidal feelings can be overcome. Even if your situation feels hopeless now, there are people in your life who care about you and want you here.
You can recover from suicidal feelings with the right support. Seek help immediately if you are having suicidal thoughts, engaging in suicidal behaviors, or planning a suicide attempt. Reach out to an adult you trust—such as a parent, doctor, or counselor—and be honest with them about how you are feeling.
If you feel safe right now, read more about ways to manage suicidal thoughts and find out when you need to get help for suicidal behaviors.
Learn More About Suicide and How to Get Help for Yourself or Someone Else
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly are suicidal thoughts?
Suicidal thoughts exist on a spectrum. On one end are passing thoughts, such as wondering what it would feel like to die or wishing you could go to sleep and not wake up. On the other end are more specific thoughts about how or when you might end your life. All of those thoughts are serious and deserve attention. Having suicidal thoughts doesn’t mean you are broken or that you’ll act on them, but it does mean you need and deserve support.
Does having suicidal thoughts mean I'll act on them?
No, having suicidal thoughts doesn’t mean you’ll act on them. Many people experience suicidal thoughts without ever attempting suicide. What matters most is that passing thoughts can become more intense if they’re not addressed. That’s why getting professional support as early as possible is so important. Treatment works, and you can feel better.
How do I know if my suicidal thoughts are getting more serious?
Warning signs that your thoughts may be intensifying include engaging in reckless behavior, increasing drug or alcohol use, withdrawing from people, experiencing extreme mood swings, or feeling a sudden and unexpected calm after a period of distress. Any of those is a signal to get help immediately. Learn more about the warning signs of suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, text, call, or chat 988, or text HOME (or HOLA) to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
What should I do if I’m having suicidal thoughts right now?
Reach out to someone you trust — a parent, doctor, counselor, or close friend — and be honest with them about how you’re feeling. You deserve support, and you don’t have to handle this alone. Read tips on how to tell someone you’re thinking about suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, text, call, or chat 988, or text HOME (or HOLA) to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
Can suicidal thoughts go away? Is it possible to recover?
Yes. Suicidal feelings are treatable, and many people recover fully with the right support. Even when your situation feels completely hopeless, that feeling is temporary. With professional care, a strong support network, and time, you can start to feel better. You’re not alone, and help is available. Learn more about how to manage suicidal thoughts.
What is a safety plan, and do I need one?
A safety plan is a personalized tool you create with a therapist or trusted adult that lists the people you can call, resources you can reach out to, and things that bring you comfort and hope so you have a clear plan ready when difficult thoughts come up. Learn how to create a suicide safety plan.
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