I wanna die has to be the most shocking and devastatingly confession I have come across the most in the last 3 years of being an agony aunt to mothers online.
While Wanna Kill Yourself is one of the most popular search terms used on The Real Supermum Blog.
It seems a rather stupid question to ask when a mother messages me saying “Emma I wanna die” but I have to acknowledge their fear and I relate to the tone on the desperate words when I reply “Why do you feel that way”.
Why do people want to kill themselves and think I wanna die?
There are many reasons for someone becoming so desperate that they feel the only way out is to end their life.
I do not take any risks when dealing with a depressed and suicidal mother, I have phoned an ambulance and I have phoned the police on occasions.
In the majority of the cases they are crying out for help, and don’t know how else to get it. I wanna die is the only way they can explain how low and alone they feel. They don’t really want to die but they also don’t know how much longer they can carry on living the way they do.
I have faced many mums who have made mistakes, some more than others but in some way they have screwed up and feel there is nowhere to turn for help.
A few will have cheated on their partner, had their partner leave them or have lost their job and they see no way of getting their lives back on track.
The sheer desperation that being in debt brings is another common reason I hear.
The attraction of suicide is that it will finally end these unbearable feelings
Most people have thought of suicide from time to time. Most suicides and suicide attempts are made by intelligent, temporarily confused individuals who are expecting too much of themselves, especially in the midst of a crisis.
Suicide Facts - International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP)
A large proportion of people who die by suicide suffer from mental illness.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the world, especially among young people
Nearly one million people worldwide die by suicide each year. This corresponds to one death by suicide every 40 seconds.
In many instances there are insufficient services available to assist those in need at times of crisis.
More people die by suicide each year than by murder and war combined.
100,000 adolescents die by suicide every year.
Suicide is the second biggest cause of death worldwide among 15-19 year olds.
It’s estimated that approximately 5% of people attempt suicide at least once in their life.
You have to be able to respond quickly to a suicide plea, in a professional and delicate manner when someone confesses “ I wanna kill myself” although at times I feel like screaming “For god sake come on think clearly and see there is light at the end of the tunnel, it doesn’t have to be this way”.
It feels as if it is impossible to get through to someone so far in the depth of depression, that you are fighting a losing battle yet just offering a non-judgmental ear to take the time to just listen can often be the very first step to helping them get the professional help and support they need.
I have attempted and thought about suicide on more than a few occasions, I can relate to the feelings of hopelessness. Knowing someone has felt the same way as you are helps you feel less alone, it also provides hope.
Although I wanna kill myself may remain a confession I receive regularly, I will always reply with a positive reaction and show that there is light at the end of the darkest tunnel and that I am living proof that you can, with the correct support, turn your life around.