Apart from these first aid suggestions, do please contact the professionals around you or the suicide prevention services in your country. You may wish to go to my free service www.suicideprevention.com.au.

Depression is an alien which tries to take over your mind, and tries to kill you if it gets enough of a grip.

If you have thoughts of suicide, it is almost certain from years of psychiatric research all over the world, that you have depressive illness, and you should seek therapy immediately. Depression will try to convince you that there is no way things will get better, but this is a lie being told to you by the illness that is trying to beat you.

Apart from seeking professional help, it is very useful for you to try to remember that there are now two bits to your mind, the healthy bit which never before wanted to die, and the sick bit which is now trying to kill you. For many people, it is very useful to make a conscious decision they are not going to allow this alien to control them, and tell them what to do.

If you have suicidal thoughts, apart from getting professional treatment, it is important not to let yourself think about these thoughts. The more time you spend wondering about suicide, the stronger you are making the underlying problem. Therefore, do whatever you have to do to make your mind think about other things. You may talk to other people, read or watch TV (if you can concentrate), or do something that requires keeping your mind occupied. You might trying doing mathematics in your head or even spelling words backwards, anything to keep your mind busy!

If you cannot stop your mind thinking about suicide, despite having tried the above suggestions, you might use a technique known as “thought stopping”.This requires that you break the cycle in your mind by shouting out loud at yourself “stop” (admittedly something you would want to do only in private), or pinching yourself, or even using a rubber band on your wrist, which you would spring back against your wrist if your brain refused to stop being preoccupied with suicidal thoughts. Pain has priority in our minds, and your brain very quickly will get the message that these suicidal thoughts are unacceptable, due to the painful consequences they bring.
An extremely useful technique, when all else fails, is to take enough medication that will allow you to sleep, but is safe. Suicidal thoughts have times when they are worse, like being in pain, and taking extra medication at these times is very useful for the bad times. When you wake up, the distressing ideas will have less grip on you. If you know you can control the pain in this way, it is easier to hold on, until your underlying illness can be cured

Depression and suicidal thoughts are very common, but they will GO AWAY eventually. Make sure you do whatever you have to do to stay alive until this alien is defeated.

NOTE: This is medical information only, and is not medical advice or treatment