depression – Short-Term Therapy

After a Suicide Attempt – for the Attempter

Published on October 10, 2022 by Aki1 Comment

treenage girl suffering with depression in a conversation with therapist or psychologist

You’ve been in a low point and it took you as far as you could go, so far that you felt ending things was the only way to get out of your misery. And it didn’t work. Maybe you were intercepted or your method wasn’t effective or executed in the right way. You’re going to have a lot of feelings interspersed with feeling nothing at all. This is normal, if anything can feel normal right now.

You might feel anger at your choices, your method, those who intervened, or God. You might feel worthless for failure at the attempt that was unsuccessful. You might feel just as (or more) sad, lonely, or depressed than you did before the attempt. You might feel guilty over the fallout to your loved ones, or inability to provide. You might feel numb, hollow, or empty – this one is especially tough as it is a protective factor, but means you cannot absorb any good feelings being sent your way during these times. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s okay. If you’re feeling something, that’s positive. Here’s the thing to note: feelings change. If you can feel this, you can feel something positive – maybe not today, but there can be hope. You’ve felt good feelings before, even if not recently, and you can feel good feelings again.

Please don’t try to do this in isolation. Maybe you can, but you don’t have to, and it’s too hard to try. When everything else is already so hard, let this part be easier. There’s hospitals for inpatient help if you need to be monitored for additional attempts and need round-the-clock care (search “psychiatric receiving hospital near me” and read the reviews to choose one), outpatient services like therapy (there’s different levels of therapy like weekly or multiple times per week, in person and online) and psychiatry. Psychiatrists prescribe medications, and it’d probably be good to look into this as your chemicals are likely lacking in one direction or another and need servicing like your car needs proper gas. I’d advise you to tell one person close to you about your attempt. Maybe someone already knows, or multiple people do. It’s okay to share as much as you’re comfortable with with these people and half your burden. Therapy is a great outlet for this, in addition, but do lean on your loved ones as they want to help you through this.

How do you get back to living? Do you just pretend everything’s fine? That’s too much effort. Be where you are. Take a break as much as you can. Step back in gently. Do a bit of work. Do a bit of hygiene. Do a bit of housework. The stuff that makes life feel normal, do some of it. If the house is still a mess, that’s okay, too. But spending 5 or 15 minutes doing the dishes or making a dentist appointment is what life is, that little stuff. And by gently, I mean even if you spend 15 minutes washing the same dish while zoned out, that’s okay. It’s still one dish down. Sometimes you have to plod along, and this is that transition point. Get by and get through.

Autumn Hahn is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist practicing at Clear Mind Group in Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Nevada, New York, and Virginia. Call 407-494-5280 for a consultation. Follow Clear Mind Group on Twitter & Facebook.

Is My Child Suicidal?

Published on November 20, 2021 by AkiLeave a comment

If you are worried about your child, whatever their age, it is good that you are paying attention. Let’s talk about warning signs and give you the tools to act appropriately.

Warning signs of depression in children:

Irritability
Aggression
Crying spells
Isolation – not wanting to talk, not wanting to be around their friends
Lack of pleasure in things – do not want to play with their toys, their pets, their friends

Talking about suicide is okay. Talking about or asking about suicidal thoughts does not increase them, so ask. “Are you thinking of suicide at all?” An open-ended question like this invites the child to talk about what they have been thinking, so you know what is on their mind, if they choose to share.

If your child says they have been thinking about suicide, or thinking “it would be better if I were not alive” or “sometimes I think about being dead” or “it would be easier if I were just gone”, this does not mean they are suicidal. These are normal thoughts that many people have, no matter their age. Therapy would be a good intervention at this point. Your child is saying they are in pain and need relief.

Probe to the next level “Do you have a plan to kill yourself? Do you want to kill yourself?” Use plain language like this and be direct. You need to know the information and asking like this will get you what you need. If your child has a plan and a desire to attempt suicide, intervene immediately. Google “mobile crisis team [your county]” to find the number for who to call. A mobile crisis team will come to your home, interview you and your child, and make a determination as to the severity of the suicidality. If warranted, they will take your child (or refer you) to the nearest psychiatric admitting hospital. If not warranted, meaning there is not immediate danger, they will encourage you to seek therapy for your child, which you should start as soon as possible. To find a therapist, you can search Psychology Today for your city and insurance, but be aware that many therapists (like myself) use telebehavioral health and you can see them from anywhere in the state, so you have additional options if you open your search to include telehealth.

If your child is cutting, that is, you see marks on their arms, legs, or torso, ask about it. “Why do you cut yourself? How often do you do so? What is the benefit you get from that? When was the last time that you did it? Are you taking care of the wound so they heal properly and don’t get infected?” Cutting is not suicide. Please take cutting for what it is: a way to release emotion, or a way to feel something when numbness is all that they are feeling. Cutting behavior should always be accompanied by therapy because either cause is a sign of deep sadness.

If you have a child that is hurting, having your own therapy is a benefit to you and to the family. You can learn how to support your child, have an outlet to express your frustration or sadness, and get support as you go through this tough time for your family.

Depression: Common NOT Normal

Published on May 11, 2020July 15, 2020 by AkiLeave a comment

Q. What causes clinical depression?
A. Chemical imbalance.

Surprised by the simplicity of the answer? Were you expecting a list of things like: death of a loved one, change of circumstances, lack of resources, inability to participate in previously enjoyable activities, illness, and so forth? Certainly, a feeling Continue reading “Depression: Common NOT Normal” →