# Thoughts?



## Ashley-Kate (Oct 31, 2007)

well i just finished a project in psychology class on suicide and what hit me the most is the vast consideration of what suicidal thoughts are. 

 in my opinion they are  basically thoughts of ending ones life of being tired of life but in the books and even in my therapist mind , it can basically be the small harmless sentence " i am tired" deepening on how it is said in what context etc.   so when do we know if it is what the person is thinking or even us when do we know that it means suicide yes i know that when i am feeling very depressed in some ways saying i am tired means i am tired of feeling this way of feeling sad and want to stop it but how do you know if the person in front of you means that ... 

yours truly 
ashley


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## David Baxter PhD (Oct 31, 2007)

What you are talking about are signs or symptoms of suicidal thinking, not what defines suicidal thinking. You're right: We can't know for certain what another person is thinking, But if someone is depressed, comments like the ones you describe *might* indicate suicidal thinking, or maybe not.

Think of them as signs or red flags for further investigation or observation.


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## Retired (Oct 31, 2007)

*Re: thoughts??*



> in my opinion they are basicly thoughts of ending ones life of being tiere of life



Thoughts of suicide are borne out of a sense of hopelessness where ending one's life, through distorted thinking, appears to be a better solution than trying to figure out ways to solve the situation causing the feeling of hopelessness.

People contemplating suicide usually give out warnings to people with whom they are in contact, but often these signals are overlooked.

There are conditions or situations that can make the person experiencing suicidal thoughts at greater risk,  requiring professional intervention.

A person expressing thoughts of suicide should _never_ be ignored and should be questioned to determine the degree of risk. 



> when do we know if it is what the person is thinking



By asking the person in un-ambiguous terms, such as "are you thinking about suicide?".  

If the answer is yes, the person should be directed to a person or center with skills in suicide intervention.  The most important thing is to ensure the person can be kept safe until they can get professional help.


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## sunset (Nov 1, 2007)

I have had thoughts of suicide, although I would never act on it. It comes from a feeling of despair and not knowing how to better your situation... Kind of like, I can get rid of this pain NOW....


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## ^^Phoenix^^ (Nov 1, 2007)

my previous thought patterns have led me to assess my life, and being ready to want to leave it all behind.  
However my new motivations (please understand that these are not motivations that I rationally use, because who is rational when in crisis?) have been more like sunset's. Intense emotion that ends up making me sick and bawling - and the desire to stop the emotional hurt in a quick way.
:haddock:


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## Superiority Tails (Nov 3, 2007)

I tried to commit suicide once. I learned that suicidal thinking is that you are unhappy or depress and that you need help to find what makes you happy what keep you in tune with your life. I found that my friends are the ones I can always count on. I gave up my unloving family for my very true friends. I tried committing suicide because I didn't feel the love of anyone anymore. People at school laugh at me and my Mom shunned me. All because I'm gay. I lost my dad at a very young age and when I came out to my mom she would tell me that it was the worst thing I have ever done and that I have never loved my dad. Since then I have been very low on family values. I have a lot of justifiable anger in me. I could have died if it wasn't for them. True families are very rare and if you have or find one keep on and not let go. As for me my friends are my true family. My bf in which I love deeply will be a part of my family too but in a special way. :inlove:


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