Even if you are in a lot of pain, give yourself some distance between thoughts and action. Make a promise to yourself like “I won’t do anything drastic”. Thoughts and actions are two different things. Wait so you can put some distance between your thoughts and your actions.
Do activities that have helped you to cope in the past, reflect on the reasons to live, go to a safe place to distract yourself, or contact friends / family / professionals.
Stay active! Orkney has a wealth of activities and clubs you can take part in; we are so lucky to have a variety of places for long walks and, where required and a bit of time out for you when needed.
If this is not enough or not possible, go to the SOS tab and reach out for help.
Suicidal thoughts can become even stronger when you have taken alcohol or drugs. It is critical to remove yourself from places where you may have access to things you can use to hurt yourself or even areas of danger in Orkney such as cliff edges or deep bodies of water.
If you are worried that you may lose control or do something to hurt yourself, tell someone. Make sure you are around someone you trust.
If you are alone, press the SOS button and seek help.
When you have thoughts of suicide, it can be helpful to do the opposite of how you feel. For example, when you want to be alone, do the opposite, surround yourself with your friends and family or be in the company of someone you trust. Break the habit by doing the opposite of the things you know aren’t good for you.
Think of ways that you can potentially solve your problems. Make a list of all the problems you are dealing with just now. Then, make a list of all the solutions you can think of to those problems. Dealing with one or two small problems can help to put an end to immediate feelings of suicide. Once you are thinking more clearly you can tackle bigger problems.
Top Tip: Asking someone you trust to help you with this can be useful.