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Ask HN: How do you deal with suicidal thoughts ?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with suicidal thoughts ?

#81
I've gone through this too off and on for as long as I can remember. Mainly it was just the fascination with the thought of what I would experience after death. To be honest if you catch yourself thinking this way it can be scary like you said. I have just decided to look at it and laugh, and it makes it not so terrifying, maintain a sense of humor. I would never want to take my own life- it's probably the lamest ending to any persons life. But I have to admit I think this way a lot. Also, happens when watching movies where people die/get killed in strange ways. My mother passed away in November from pneumonia and now I am constantly paranoid about my health. I've had some serious panic attacks as a result.

Remedies:

1. Go to church. Listen to a podcast on Buddhism, or find something to believe in. 2. Write down or look in the mirror and tell yourself all the positive things about yourself. 3. Laugh about death, have a sense of humor, choose to live, anyone can die. 4. Be different. Do everything differently in your life, wear your underwear outside your pants, listen to music you normally hate. Get outside of being ordinary. It will loosen you up, and give you new perspectives.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with suicidal thoughts ?

#82
post #63

I've had similar stuff, including massive panic attacks / anxiety, especially in graduate school. I learned to deal with it through diet, exercise, but mostly by getting outside and getting more sunlight. If your climate / weather allows for it, go take a sick day, pack a lunch, and go spend at least half the day in some sunny park or beach. I also find it helps to write out all the thoughts in your head. If I don't…

I do the same thing when I over-think. It's overload and background noise in my head. I go through a couple waves every year with very bad panic attacks for a few good weeks, usually triggered by stress. I notice it's when I have a hunch to do something but then delay on it for a few minutes/hours/etc. starts as a restless feeling which then leads to dervish behavior then thoughts directed internally... leading to hyper ventilation, heart palpitations, etc. Good advice I'll have to try that next time.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with suicidal thoughts ?

#83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In 2008 I attempted suicide. I have dealt with suicidal ideation off & on since I was around 7 years old. My brother committed suicide, and mental illness (including depression) runs in my family. I'm not crazy though, I swear :-) I've read a number of people say things like, "It's completely normal. You just have to deal with it like everyone else." That's wrong, and really, really dangerous advice. Suicidal ideatio…

I've read a number of people say things like, "It's completely normal. You just have to deal with it like everyone else." That's wrong, and really, really dangerous advice. Suicidal ideation is very different from feeling 'blue' every now and then. Suicidal ideation is an indication of something more serious, and if left unchecked can get much worse (did you read my opening line?). Not everyone can get out of depress…

5HTP definitely has therapeutic effects, especially taken sub lingually under the tongue. However, no one should regularly swallow large amounts as it will elevate free- serotonin levels in your peripheral blood stream, which is very bad for your heart. Increasing serotonin is good in the sense of brain synapses, not bloodstream. You will also build up a tolerance to it and it will stop working. I only use it infrequently as recovery from migraines or drinking.

"SAM-e" is S-Adenosyl-methionine and is messing with methylation rather than neurotransmitters directly. It can have very different effects on different people and I believe is generally more dopaminergic than serotogenic and can actually increase anxiety in some people.

If you want something 10x as effective as any listed above, look into low-dose 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine .

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with suicidal thoughts ?

#85
The first thing, obvious as it may seem, is to see a professional for help. I had a similar situation and I was hesitant to talk to anyone about it, and even more hesitant to start taking any medication, but I got therapy and went on antidepressants for a couple months, and it truly did help.

Re: Ask HN: How do you deal with suicidal thoughts ?

#88
post #23

This is not serious, useful advice like the other posters (and pls listen to them)... but I always thought, if you are considering suicide, why not fake your death? All the good stuff like re-birth, freedom, and what not... without the bad stuff.. like being dead forever.

Some people do this virtually. They delete their facebooks or myspace pages, and go invisible so nobody can contact them except through email , phone, or meet in person. I'm afraid that in the short term, finding out how many people care about you is great, but if you regularly seek attention in such a serious matter, its like the boy that crys wolf, people will grow tired. Be Careful.
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