Let’s start with something important: If you’ve ever had thoughts of suicide, you’re not broken. You’re not weak. And you’re certainly not alone.
Suicidal ideation—the experience of thinking about ending your life—is more common than most people think. But because it’s wrapped in stigma, silence, and shame, many suffer in isolation, believing they’re the only one who feels this way. The truth is, these thoughts are often less about wanting to die and more about not knowing how to keep living with the pain you’re in.
Suicide as a Coping Strategy—But Not a Helpful One
This may sound surprising, but suicidal ideation can be understood as a kind of coping strategy. A desperate one. When life feels unbearable and nothing else seems to help, the mind can offer suicide as a way to escape the pain.
It’s not a “solution” in the true sense—it’s the mind trying to protect you from suffering by imagining an exit. In this way, suicidal thoughts aren’t signs of weakness. They’re signals that your pain has grown too heavy to carry alone.
That doesn’t make suicide a helpful or healthy coping mechanism. But it does mean we need to talk about it without judgment. Shaming people for their thoughts doesn’t prevent suicide—it just makes it harder to ask for help.
Naming the Pain
People often say they don’t really want to die—they just want the pain to stop. That distinction matters. Suicidal thoughts are less about death and more about needing relief. When we view it that way, the question changes from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What hurts so much right now that dying seems like the only option?”
That’s a question worth exploring—with care, curiosity, and support.
You’re Not Alone in This
If you’re having suicidal thoughts, it doesn’t mean you actually want to die. It means you need something to change. And the good news—yes, there is good news—is that change is possible.
Therapy can help you build other ways to cope with pain. It won’t erase what you’ve been through, but it can help you carry it differently. There are skills and supports that can make life more livable, even if it doesn’t feel that way right now.
You don’t have to figure this out alone.
A Gentle Reminder
If you’re reading this and feeling hopeless, please know that talking about your thoughts with a trusted therapist, friend, or crisis line is a sign of strength—not a burden to others.
You deserve help. You deserve support. And you deserve to live a life that feels worth staying for.
Resources:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988
- Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741
- More Crisis Numbers Here