I Want to Kill Myself – Directory of Emergency Resources

“I want to kill myself.”

No matter who you are or what you’re going through, having this thought is alarming and often accompanied by pain and a lot of desperation. People who have suicidal thoughts experience heavy emotions and have sometimes lost hope for life. Whether you or someone you know has this thought, it’s absolutely essential you take it seriously and get the appropriate level of care.

Directory of Resources

911

Call 911 if you are seriously considering taking your life or talking to someone who is. You should also call 911 if there is an ongoing suicide attempt and you or someone else needs emergency medical more urgently than mental health care. 911 operators are trained to instruct you on how to keep yourself and/or the other person as safe as possible before help arrives.

988

988 is a newer number in the United States, but it’s available nationwide. Like 911, it’s an emergency line, but it’s specifically designed to help people in the middle of mental health crises. 988 dispatchers can send emergency personnel to your location.

When you call 988, you’ll be connected to a trained crisis counselor who can help you through the situation. So, if you’re going through a mental health emergency and want someone to talk to, 988 is the better choice. But if there is also a medical emergency occurring, it’s best to call 911.

Emergency Services in Different Languages/Countries

If the person going through the crisis doesn’t speak English, don’t worry. Both 911 and 988 provide translation services.

If you don’t live in the United States, call your local emergency services. Currently traveling and don’t know the local emergency number? Check out the list linked above!

Increasingly, people are running into the issue where the person they’re trying to help is in another country. If this describes your situation, place an international call to the police in the person’s location. Describe the problem and provide any identifying information and contact information that you can. They might transfer you to the local emergency line or arrange a welfare check.

National Hotlines

Hotlines have been saving lives for decades, and you can access them in many different areas of the world. These helplines employ people who have been trained to help you navigate a crisis and de-escalate the situation. They also can connect you to emergency services.

Nowadays, many helplines also have text services geared toward people who don’t want (or can’t) talk on the phone.

The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is a crisis phone line and texting service that caters specifically to the needs of LGBTQ+ people. LGBTQ+ individuals are at an increased risk for experiencing suicidal ideation and other mental health concerns due to discrimination and other stressful life experiences.

The Trevor Project trains its workers to help LGBTQ+ people navigate a variety of crises and connect them to the necessary resources. Plus, their website has a crisis chat feature. Afraid you’ll be spotted using this site? The Trevor Project has prepared for this situation! Users can click anywhere on the screen to exit the site, ensuring privacy and enhancing safety if the person lives with someone who is not LGBTQ-friendly.

Hospitals

If you need to seek out emergency mental health care but don’t know where to go, you can head to your local hospital. Some cities will have hospitals that specialize in mental health care. If yours doesn’t, you can head to your general hospital for assistance.

When you go to the hospital, expect to be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Depending on the severity of your suicidal ideations, you might be admitted to the hospital and need to stay for a number of days. However, the doctors may also send you home and instruct you to seek outpatient mental health care, such as going to see a counselor.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

If you’re considering taking your life because of domestic abuse, you might want to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. This resource gives people valuable guidance for keeping themselves safe in tumultuous situations and will send help to your location if needed.

What Is The Appropriate Level of Care When I Want to Kill Myself?

To determine the level of care needed, you first need to determine whether you or your loved one is having passive or active suicidal ideation.

First and foremost: both forms of suicidal ideation need to be given the utmost attention. Both are risky, but active suicidal ideation requires a more intensive form of care.

Put simply, passive suicidal ideation ranges from intrusive thoughts about wanting to kill yourself to thinking about it without actually planning on going through with it. People with passive suicidal ideation should speak to a therapist and/or psychiatrist. You can also speak to your primary care physician (PCP). PCPs don’t specialize in mental health, but they have been trained to screen people for suicidal ideation and make the appropriate referrals for care.

Suicidal ideation becomes active once you or your loved one starts to seriously consider killing yourself, and it needs immediate, emergency attention. It becomes especially dangerous when you or your loved one starts to exhibit the signs of imminent suicide. These include, but are not limited to:

• Making a plan to commit suicide
• Collecting lethal items, such as medications, weapons, or razors
• Giving away personal possessions or arranging for the care of children/pets
• Saying goodbye to people
• Writing farewell letters, updating wills, or penning suicide notes
• Ensuring everything is in order for their passing for no other explicable reason

Additional signs someone might lethally harm themselves include:

• Past suicide attempts. People who have attempted to take their own lives in the past are statistically more likely to attempt suicide again.
• People with a diagnosed mental health condition. Many different conditions, from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) to ADHD and more, come with an increased likelihood that the person will experience and act on suicidal thoughts.
• Self-harm attempts. Some people self-harm without having suicidal thoughts, but often, self-harm accompanies suicidal ideation.
• People who have recently given birth and might be experiencing postpartum depression or psychosis. Postpartum depression is characterized by routine hopelessness, sadness, and/or feelings of inadequacy after birth. Postpartum psychosis is accompanied by delusional thinking, visual and/or auditory hallucinations, and a perceived lack of control over actions during psychotic episodes. A lack of control over harming oneself or others during a psychotic episode should always be taken seriously, and the person should seek inpatient emergency care.

If you or another person is experiencing active suicidal ideation, go immediately to the nearest hospital. If you’re unsure about whether you or someone else needs emergency treatment, call or text an emergency service provider listed above. Alternatively, you can go to the hospital and ask for an evaluation.

What Should I Do While Waiting for Help to Arrive?

If You’re the One Experiencing Suicidal Ideation

If you’re experiencing suicidal ideation, stay where you are or follow the advice of the crisis line worker. If you’re considering hurting yourself with something or taking pills, ask someone to take these items from you and keep them in a secure place where you can’t get to them.

Have you already started the suicide attempt? Call 911 and follow the directions you’re given. If you can, tell someone near you what’s happening and stay near them so they can help you.

If Someone Else Is Experiencing Suicidal Ideation

Has someone else told you, “I want to kill myself” or alluded to the fact that they may want to? If so, stay calm and get ready to perform mental health first aid. Ask clear, direct questions about what they’re experiencing to help you determine the level of care they need and provide information to the mental health professionals. In addition, remove any dangerous items from the person’s immediate surroundings.

If the suicide attempt is already in progress, you may need to perform medical first aid as well. Call 911 and follow the operator’s directions.

No matter what, don’t leave the person alone.

Caring for Yourself

Regardless of whether you’re thinking, “I want to kill myself” or know someone who is, taking care of yourself is essential. Be kind to yourself during this time and recognize that these feelings are distressing, and that’s normal. Seek out a therapist if you need someone to talk to, especially if you’re the one experiencing suicidal ideation.