If you’re dealing with thoughts related to ending your life, you’ve likely been experiencing pain for a long time. The stagnation and frustration can feel overwhelming. Being stuck in a place where you are tormented by negative thoughts feels all too familiar and there seems to be no end in sight.
Something needs to change but it is hard to know what to do. And even if you did know, it might feel like you don’t have the strength to do it on your own. You might have tried to make changes in the past and they didn’t lead to long term changes, leaving you feeling like your own worst enemy.
There comes a point where the self-loathing and feelings of worthlessness might become so intense that you consider ending your life to stop the pain. You might blame yourself for the way your life turned out. An unfulfilling job, the constant disappointments, and missing out on what you feel you “should” have had.
It is likely that these thoughts have been following you for a long time. During your childhood and adolescence, you might have felt a great deal of rejection and ridicule from people around you. Perhaps they thought you were “too much” or “not enough”. Shame was likely used as a tool of control by the role models and authoritative figures in your life. These judgements and criticisms became your own inner voice, and now you firmly believe that you are not good enough as you will always be a failure.
I am here to tell you that there is a way out. Throughout the hardship, you have been holding on to the hope that things would get better. You were right to do so. With the right support and guidance, you can replace the negative thought loop in your head with a positive and supportive one.
Therapy requires commitment and perseverance. Difficult problems don’t have overnight solutions. During sessions, we will talk about your thoughts and feelings and we will enquire where they might have originated. We will challenge them and ask whether they are serving you or not. You will receive specific tools and techniques you can use to deal with overwhelming emotional reactions in a healthier way.
Talking about your distress might feel pointless at first, but after some time, you might discover that you weren’t so despicable after all, that you did the best you could to deal with an extremely painful situation, and that there is no way that you could have known better. You may start to feel like you deserve the love and support that has been eluding you most of your life. If you are at the point of needing support, please reach out and book a consultation to find out if therapy is for you.