Depression to Suicide – An Attempt Survivor’s Advice

So, let's talk about a tough subject - suicide.  The word itself elicits a shudder and evokes many emotions.  A stigma to people who have attempted and not "succeeded" and to families who have been affected directly.  Here are the facts - according to the website www.sos-walk.org:
I always wondered how people could ever get so sad or depressed that they would want to end their life.  It seemed incomprehensible to me.  But then one day IT happened to me. Just like most things in life, it doesn't happen overnight.  Like slow moving lava it covered me before I could crawl away.  As the "lava" covered me, my body, in all four forms -physical, mental, emotional and spiritual - were mummified to the extent that I was but a skeleton of my former self.  For most people it is the accumulation of anxiety and depression which then becomes something called "major depressive disorder."  For those of you who know me but may not know this story, may think, "no way, this happened to her?"  But, that's the point.  If it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone.  We need to take away the shame and stigma that goes with depression and hopelessness.  It is a real illness AND IT CAN be healed!  That's the beauty of learning from other people's experiences.  There is always hope.  

First, know the signs.  What should you be looking for in yourself or someone you love?  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of depression may include the following:
If the above signs are not addressed, a person can become so sick, helpless, hopeless and lost they may think about suicide.  According to www.lifeline-gallery.org, the following are signs to look for when suicidal tendencies develop:
Again, if you read my earlier blogs from June 2011, you will see how my life reached this pinnacle.  As I look back on this event now, the worst time in my life became the best time in a skewed sort of way.  It allowed me to get the help I needed, to educate myself on what really happened to me, to realize that the body always tells you what you need to know.  Illness is a form of communication begging you to make some sort of change.  Where is your life not working?  Remember, it always starts out subtly but, if you don't listen, the symptoms grow and grow.  Let me assure you that our bodies are incredible and capable of healing anything.  Please know that if we understand the signs and listen, we can heal ourselves naturally before having to turn to medication.  However, I encourage you to seek medical help if you are too far down the path as there is never shame in having to get medical help or therapy. Ask your doctor to get a 24-hour urine study done to get the reading of your cortisol level.  Cortisol is produced in the human body by the adrenal gland and is controlled by the hypothalamus.  Under constant stress, cortisol levels rise and basically wreak havoc in the body.  If only one doctor checked my cortisol, perhaps I would never have ended up so sick and my body would never have broken down as it did.  You MUST be your own doctor.  Be more educated than the doctors are.  

If you or someone you know are exhibiting any of the above signs but is still in the early stages, then perhaps natural treatments are the way to go first.  Try acupuncture (which is very effective), exercise, nutritional changes as nutrition plays a huge role in how the body functions, therapy, meditation, nutritional supplements such as fish oil and Vitamin D, and learn about the mind/body connection as thoughts play a huge role in our health as well.  A great book to read is Louise Hay's, You Can Heal Your Life.  This book truly helped changed the way I viewed myself and I have since given it out to many people.  

I am living testimony that anything is possible.  From hopeless to living an empowered life where I choose my thoughts and how I interact with the world, I know that anything IS possible.  Remember, a "disadvantage is an advantage" as there is always a life lesson in the disadvantage.  Don't be a victim to yourself or anyone else, take control of your own health.  Be educated.  I invite you to connect with me if you have any questions, comments or thoughts.  Communication is key to better education and healthy living.

You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we're not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power.
                                                                                                  
- Louise Hay

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