The worst part about a mind contemplating suicide is that these thoughts creep about in the mind without making themselves obvious. Silently but surely, they eradicate all logical thoughts and reasonable thinking from the mind. The road to this darkness is often irreversible unless psychological counseling is brought into the picture. Here too there is a catch! People with suicidal tendencies live in a denial mode. They are unwilling to acknowledge that something is amiss in their thinking and they need help.
It is the duty of the psychologist to detect signs of suicidal tendencies. Those suffering from this malaise do their utmost to hide this fact. Despite their mental disorder and rather chaotic thoughts, they are somehow cautious about guarding their inclination to cause harm to themselves. As a result, the signs are not always so obvious. Only a trained and professional psychologist can detect and identify this train of thought in an individual, who otherwise pretends to be of sound mental health.
That brings us to the symptoms associated with suicidal tendencies. More often than not, people think about suicide as a way of our life’s miseries, like chronic illness, pain, suffering or uncomfortable situations. However, this is the not the full picture. Usually, there is a history of mental illness associated with suicidal thoughts. The problem could be one of depression or bipolar disorder, among others, but these two are the more prominent symptoms. People who are depressed continuously or have extreme mood swings are more susceptible to think about suicide than others.
There are various forms of treatment available. Psychologists and psychiatrists can opt for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT. This method tries to drill some logic and sense into the thinking of the individual through therapy. CBT is based on the principle that by changing the thoughts of a person, their behavior can also be affected. Medication like antidepressants is also used in this form of therapy.
The other option is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy or DBT. This involved individual or group therapy sessions. The stress is on tolerance of everyday situations and developing interpersonal skills, including communication as a safety valve. The purpose of the sessions is to empower individuals with confidence and hope, something that resembles light in a dark tunnel.