Finding Support In The Darkest Moments

By Eva Teitelbaum, AMFT 145672

Suicide is often treated as a taboo topic. People become quiet, uncomfortable, or afraid to say the wrong thing. But when something so painful is kept in silence, it often creates more shame.

And shame tends to grow in the dark.

I believe we need to talk about it more openly and with compassion. When we bring these conversations into the light, we begin to soften the isolation that so many people carry.

Suicidal thoughts can sometimes emerge when a person is experiencing overwhelming emotional pain. In those moments, the mind may begin searching for a sense of relief or escape from feelings that feel too heavy to carry alone.

I have a theory that I often share with clients. I like to think of coping skills as a toolbelt. We all enter this world with one, but the tools we receive early in life depend largely on what the people around us were able to give or model. Some people grow up with many tools for navigating stress and emotional pain. Others receive far fewer.

As we move through life, we may pick up new tools from teachers, mentors, books, friends, or therapists. But when someone feels overwhelmed and doesn’t yet have enough tools to cope with what they are feeling, the mind may start searching for any way to relieve the pain. Sometimes, suicidal thoughts can appear during those moments.

When these thoughts show up, they are often a signal that something inside is hurting deeply and needs care, understanding, and support.

If you have experienced these thoughts, I want you to know you are not alone. Many people have moments in their lives where the pain feels bigger than what they know how to hold.

You deserve support through those moments.

If these thoughts arise, I gently encourage you not to keep them to yourself. Talk to someone you trust, a friend, a family member, or a therapist. Speaking about these thoughts can help release some of the weight you may have been carrying alone. It can also open the door to discovering new tools, new support, and new ways to move through the pain.

You deserve to be seen.

You deserve to be heard.

And you deserve support.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text the 988

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you do not have to face these feelings alone.