Suicidal Thoughts
It’s not unusual for anyone struggling with a chronic, persistent illness and/or pain to have some uncomfortable thoughts about suicide. This is a reflection of just how difficult pain can be, especially if you lack medical care and support. Suicidal thoughts often result when pain exceeds your resources for coping with pain. It doesn’t mean that you are a bad person, or crazy, or weak, or flawed, because you might have these thoughts. It doesn’t even mean that you really want to die – it only means that you have more pain than you can cope with right now. When pain exceeds pain-coping resources, suicidal feelings are the result.
Please reach out to someone that you trust if you’re are struggling with suicidal thoughts, preferably your doctor. They need to know just how difficult this is for you, especially if your pain is out of control.
If you don’t have access to medical care, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline! They can and will try to help you. You are not alone!