Are you struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide? Ask for help. One of our trusted counselors at Compass Family counseling is ready to walk with you and help you find hope, healing, and direction. Call us at 501-291-3732 to schedule an appointment.

It’s not uncommon when struggling with depression, anxiety, or a number of other mental illnesses to consider suicide as an option. As humans, it is normal and natural to look for solutions to our problems.

When someone struggles with depression or another mental illness, sometimes that illness hinders any other healthy alternatives and the only answer that they can think is suicide. Maybe that is you right now.

If you are struggling with thoughts and ideations of suicide, here are four steps that are helpful for you to do right now.

1) Recognize your warning signs.
Warning signs are common thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that lead you to thoughts or feelings of suicide. Recognizing common situations that cause you to begin thinking about suicide can help you know that you need to seek help.

2) Look for a distraction.
Distractions are things that you can do by yourself to take your mind off of the problem. Some things that people use to distract their mind are things like prayer, playing an instrument, watching a favorite movie or TV show, or going for a run. These distractions can help you pull back from your suicidal thoughts and refocus on making it through another day. Take a moment right now to list out 2-3 healthy distractions that could help you in these situations.

3) Call a friend.
Sometimes the thoughts of distress are so severe that you are not able to get through them on your own. It’s okay to ask for help. You may need someone you can trust to help you through the situation. Calling a trusted family member or friend can be enough to help you see what is important and distract your mind to get through another hour.

4) Seek help from professionals.
If your problem continues, it is time to reach out to your professional support system.
      A. Use your local emergency number. Call 911
      B. Reach out to a trusted counseling office for help. A professional, caring, counselor can walk with you through your          depression and thoughts of suicide. Consider calling Compass Family Counseling for help. You can schedule an appointment with us by calling 501-291-3732 or emailing us at [email protected]
      C. Call a suicide hotline in the United States. Professionals are ready to talk with you right now. 1-800-273-TALK