Discussion Is suicide a trait that we will carry forever?

[garcelle]

I thought that all was well with me and that I finally healed myself from suicide/suicidal thoughts, but as time goes on I'm starting to think this is a forever thing. Last year I developed PTSD from witnessing my niece's seizures, and was barely functioning as a human. Was nauseous all the time, frightened by sudden noises, frightened by repeated noises, nightmares every night, suicidal, and I couldn't even be in the same room as her without being violently anxious. I went to get medical help and was prescribed mirtazapine (WOOHOO) and it virtually got rid of all my anxiety/PTSD symptoms. At that time I was feeling great, but then my school got shot up... WTF, so I was depressed and suicidal again. I try talk therapy but I just cant be honest enough so I journal my thoughts instead. All seems to be going well since I started journaling and it seems like I'm healthily channeling my depressive episodes + taking medication, but now I am at another roadblock where one of my engineering classes is making me violently suicidal and all I can think about is how badly I want to kill myself. It seems like when something goes awry in my life, my first thought is suicide. I obsess about it, writing about it in my journal helps me feel at ease. I'm just wondering if in my recovery should I be trying to abstain from these thoughts or welcome them. For the past few years I've just been trying to abstain, but I think suicide is apart of me now. I exercise, journal, and take meds to cope, and the thoughts are still there; what the hell else can I do to get rid of them? Does anyone else feel the same? How are people not thinking of suicide when something shitty happens??? Any engineering students also suicidal? Are we going to be in a constant state of recovery for the rest of our lives?

 

[ConstantPain]

I wish I had something more positive to say and hope that there may be others on this site that have successfully recovered and are no longer suicidal.
Unfortunately, I am 48 years old and wanting to die has always been my first thought anytime something big goes wrong. Some years are better than others but for me, wanting to end my life has always been in the background. I have tried a lot of medications and am apparently treatment resistant because nothing has ever helped. I've also gone to several therapists and with a psychiatrist for many years. He put me on Seroquel and I hated it. No benefits, only bad side effects.
Two inpatient stays and not a bit of it helped. When I think about my best times in life it was when I rescued two tiny kittens. Caring for them was awesome and gave me a reason to live. Otherwise, time with family has been good but I live a long ways from any of them now.
I guess my feedback would be that casual time with your family (not necessarily people you're related to) but friends and anyone you love can be a good thing. Otherwise, caring for something/someone other than yourself that needs you can be great. That's my only time in life that I don't think suicide was lingering in my mind.

Sorry for the long-winded rant and I want you to know that I truly feel for you and hope that there's a treatment and/or circumstances that can lift you out of the suicidal response. I believe it's possible.

 

[garcelle]

I wish I had something more positive to say and hope that there may be others on this site that have successfully recovered and are no longer suicidal.
Unfortunately, I am 48 years old and wanting to die has always been my first thought anytime something big goes wrong. Some years are better than others but for me, wanting to end my life has always been in the background. I have tried a lot of medications and am apparently treatment resistant because nothing has ever helped. I've also gone to several therapists and with a psychiatrist for many years. He put me on Seroquel and I hated it. No benefits, only bad side effects.
Two inpatient stays and not a bit of it helped. When I think about my best times in life it was when I rescued two tiny kittens. Caring for them was awesome and gave me a reason to live. Otherwise, time with family has been good but I live a long ways from any of them now.
I guess my feedback would be that casual time with your family (not necessarily people you're related to) but friends and anyone you love can be a good thing. Otherwise, caring for something/someone other than yourself that needs you can be great. That's my only time in life that I don't think suicide was lingering in my mind.

Sorry for the long-winded rant and I want you to know that I truly feel for you and hope that there's a treatment and/or circumstances that can lift you out of the suicidal response. I believe it's possible.

thanks for the response. I think I'll try and find solace in the feeling instead of trying to reject it. Seems like some of us are just wired this way. I have two beautiful kitties that I am currently taking care of, and I agree, they really do help keep me alive during these episodes. Maybe I'll start taking them on walks in the park or something to ground myself

 

[soulchaser_]

hey I also journal! I don't know for how long you do so, but I've been journaling for years now.
I oftentimes think that I'm getting more and more depressed/suicidal no matter how long time has passed. That it's always the same.
But rereading old chapters of my life and revisiting old feelings and thoughts from my journal usually makes me go 'wow, I used to feel way worse then than I do now'.
Maybe I have a tendency to be pessimistic about recovery and if I am doing better or not. But journaling made me realise that sometimes it does get better, sometimes I feel better, funnily enough. well, I'm trying to look at the positives here after all.
but yeah, still waiting for the day on which I'll say that I am truly feeling content.

 

[garcelle]

hey I also journal! I don't know for how long you do so, but I've been journaling for years now.
I oftentimes think that I'm getting more and more depressed/suicidal no matter how long time has passed. That it's always the same.
But rereading old chapters of my life and revisiting old feelings and thoughts from my journal usually makes me go 'wow, I used to feel way worse then than I do now'.
Maybe I have a tendency to be pessimistic about recovery and if I am doing better or not. But journaling made me realise that sometimes it does get better, sometimes I feel better, funnily enough. well, I'm trying to look at the positives here after all.
but yeah, still waiting for the day on which I'll say that I am truly feeling content.

I would say I've been journaling on and off for around 6 years now, but only recently I invested in a nice real leather journal. All my other journals were the cheap 80 cent ones from walmart that I threw away when I thought I was fully healed lol. i should've kept those huh? What type of journal do u use these days?