Anyone Else Go From Normal To Suicidal Within Minutes?

[intothelight]

He states that suicide isn't because of depression but because of psychological pain that has gone beyond one's coping skills. When a person feels trapped - that there is "only one solution" to the pain - the person chooses suicide. When the person gets "constricted thought" - that is can't see any way out except suicide - then that person loses the ability to 'see' children, spouses, others who might need or miss them. It also explains why severely depressed people who start on anti-depressants might commit suicide. You finally get out of your fog and see suicide as the only option to cease feeling pain.

It also explains why non-depressed (people described by loved-ones as not having been depressed) or people with bigger problems than depression (like PTSD) commit suicide. In fact, when you look at statistics, MDD isn't as likely to result in suicide as PTSD is. According to Dr. Schneidman's book, it is the amount of perturbation, not depression - that incites the problem. Then it is the lethality of a person's thoughts - "only one solution to the pain, ie suicide" - that cinches the person's fate.

Schneidman said that the way to alleviate suicidality is to alleviate the psychological pain by decreasing the atmosphere of feeling trapped. In otherwords, if you're living at Defcon 5 then what is needed is to decompress the situation by removing those things that are making you feel trapped or getting help with those things. By decompressing or moving to decompress some of those things, you can get to Defcon 3 and live forever. It may mean you need to get out of a destructive relationship, or restructure your debt, or find a new job.

I can't explain how much this is going to help me, especially to understand why I have gone from 0 to suicidal at the drop of a hat. Most of the time it is ideation, but even that is too close for me.

Seriously need to address this as it made a few things click for me.

Thank you!!!!!

 

[SevenWolves]

I've been dealing with this off and on for the past few days now. Haven't been suicidal in a long time so it's thrown me way off kilter. I'll be buying a copy of The Suicidal Mind" by Edwin Schneidman, PhD. Sounds like a book I need to add to my library.

 

[all_akimbo]

Does anyone else wish something would just end it for you? I don't think of suicide directly. Most of the time I just wish I'd get in a bad car accident and it would end quickly or that I would have a sudden heart attack or take a bad fall. I joke that this is because I'm lazy, but I think it is really more about a fear of being stuck - like if I kill myself I won't know I am dead and that will just be a whole new hell to deal with - I'm weird. I read the post about the signs and I know I frequently make at least two of the statements on the list and often feel trapped.

 

[rightkindofme]

Sometimes I kind of feel like it would be less shameful if I could even just stay feeling depressed instead of this up and down. Sometimes I feel good and fine. But then out of no where I find myself on a freeway overpass on my knees sobbing hysterically because the only thing I want to do is jump.

I have two daughters. They are 2 and 4. I can't leave them. My grandmother, father, and brother all killed themselves. I can't do it to my kids. It is really hard to live with feeling this way.

 

[LostinSpaceGirl]

Rightkindofme, I am so sorry for your pain. Know you are not alone, and all you need to do is reach out and people will be there to help you - folks on this forum understand and will listen. You deserve to feel happy and calm. I have some relatives that are bi-polar and it sounds like this is something you may be struggling with - please seek out professional help - my cousin's life was basically saved once she was diagnosed as bipolar and treated for it. All positive thoughts and blessings to you!

 

[KBE]

I am just kind of wondering if this is a normal thing for other PTSD sufferers? Like, to feel COMPLETELY normal (normal being relative, HAHA) and then to want to die within a few minutes? Anyone else experience such huge shifts in mood?

Yes. I'll be "fine" and then my head feels like its crushing and I'm sobbing as quietly as I can wishing I could just let it all go, once and for all. Panic sets in and I can't focus on anything. I presume there is something(s) triggering this shift but idk what yet.

 

[Britt.f7]

Mine usually happens after contact with my family. I'll be perfectly fine and then I'll talk to one of them, especially my mom and sister, and I will be a mess afterwards. They don't even have to say something it just hits me. I think it's bad that just about every serious boyfriend I've had, and my current husband included, will say "did you talk to your family today"...I hate it.

 

[Tinyflame]

Britt, could you tell your husband that much? Would he understand? (That might help).

(((((Hugs)))))

 

[Britt.f7]

Yes, Junebug, he's a great supporter. I might not be able to tell him that I'm suicidal but I think he picks up that I'm a wreck. He tries to understand.

Thank you for the hugs, right back at you. :)

 

[Tinyflame]

Britt, maybe you can tell him what you said about your family.

 

[rightkindofme]

It sounds like he wants to help you. It might be worth letting him know. Maybe. I don't know.

 

[Britt.f7]

He is the one that points out that it is almost always after my families calls that I become so despondent. He isn't the only one that has pointed that out over the years. I do wonder what my family would think.

I do remember a time I was in treatment and my mother came to visit me. A counselor was present. After my mom left, she asked if I realized how my mom talked to me. I hadn't because it had always been that way. She's also the one that told me I can't change her, that she decided long ago that what she was doing was all right. The counselor told me all I can do is change how I react to it. I has been a long road.