Five reasons you should tell your therapist if you are feeling suicidal
You may be wondering if you should tell your therapist the truth about how you are feeling. If I tell her, will I be hospitalized? Will she believe me? Will he tell my parents and then I’ll be in trouble? The answers to these questions could be “Maybe.”
Five reasons you should tell your therapist or counselor if you are feeling suicidal:
If you tell your therapist, you will still be alive. You may not want to hear that right now, but you may want to hear that tomorrow. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
If you tell them, it may not be as bad as you think. There’s a difference between ACTIVE suicidal thoughts and PASSIVE suicidal thoughts. Passive suicidal thoughts may sound like, “It wouldn’t be that big of a deal if I didn’t wake up tomorrow,” or “I’m just so tired of feeling this way,” or “What’s the point?” Active thoughts are more specific. They will include answers to When, Where, and How.
If you tell them the truth, you may get the help you really need. When you are honest with your therapist you get an opportunity for real change. I promise you that your therapist doesn’t want to hear what you THINK he or she wants to hear. They want to hear the truth. The raw, ugly, dark truth. If there are days that you wake up and you are disappointed that you are still alive, he or she needs to know this. Then, you two can have a real talk about coping strategies, building up your support network, coming up with a safety plan, and possibly changing or adding medication.
You will not disappoint or shock your therapist. I promise they have heard everything. And they want the truth. Always. Or else, what’s the point of therapy? The ones who get the most out of therapy are the ones who are brave enough to be real and put in the hard work. Change isn’t comfortable.
When you share your truth, you are in control. This big secret you have been carrying around with you no longer has power or control over you. And, you have someone in your corner! Your therapist will help you remember all the reasons you are amazing and unique. They will help you find hope for your future.