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8 Ways to Recover After a Suicide Attempt – By Steve Austin

Articles Submitted by Guest Authors, Kindness 21 comments

Since I’ve begun sharing how I went from a pastor to a psych ward, people often ask about my recovery.

Everyone wants to know, is there a single solution? Where does the magic lie? How do they get their own lives (or their loved ones’) back? Or, as others have said,

“What is the one thing that made you want to start living again?”

The truth is, there is no magic formula, but here are some intentional steps that made my life better. I am not a professional therapist, and everyone has a different recovery story. I can only share from my own experience. Here are eight steps that helped me recover after my suicide attempt.

1. Medication.

If I had cancer, you can bet I would take chemo. I might also listen to the naturopath’s advice to drink special juices and cut out refined sugars, or to follow the path of meditation to wholeness. But I would still take chemo.

Mental illness is a real thing. A disease. When the doctor says the chemicals in your brain aren’t firing correctly and a certain medication will help level you out, listen to the doctor.

It took a few tries to find the meds that were right for me, but it’s worth the hassle. Some made me too sleepy, some made me too grumpy, but eventually we settled on meds that helped me find my new normal.

Again, I’m no professional, but don’t rely on your primary care physician to help you sort out the complicated maze of mental health. You wouldn’t go to your family doctor for cancer treatment, so why would you do that for psychiatric needs?

2. Counseling.

Figuring out the winding, ruthless road of mental illness all on your own is nearly impossible. After my suicide attempt, spending time with a professional saved my marriage and, ultimately, my life.

3. Stop apologizing.

When my son was a toddler, he went through a very difficult time with his stomach. Frequently, he would vomit and make major messes. Each time, he would cry. “Dada,” he would say, “I’m sorry I frowed up.” My son couldn’t control having stomach trouble any more than I can control a panic attack in the middle of the work day. Both are inconvenient and problematic, but I wouldn’t choose anxiety or depression any more than someone would willingly choose to vomit.

I don’t owe anyone an apology for my mental illness. You don’t, either.

4. Find a strong support system.

There are those who care about your soul, and there are those who only care to know what’s going on. It’s important to know the difference. Surround yourself with those who are willing to walk with you through the hard days. Be gracious with those who love you, but can’t help you.

5. Get good, solid, uninterrupted sleep.

Insomnia is a hell of a thing, but when you are able to sleep, choosing not to sleep is true craziness. Don’t stay up all hours of the night to binge on your favorite show or read just one more chapter. Our bodies require uninterrupted sleep. When you are tired, your symptoms will be worse.

If you’re not interested in sleep medication, read more about sleep hygiene to create a good routine around sleep. Deep breathing exercises or meditation can also be helpful. Or you can trying reading the King James Bible–I promise, I’ll have you snoring quickly!

6. Eat nourishing foods on a regular schedule.

I’m a busy guy, and I’ve never been a big breakfast eater. See how I just made two excuses? No more excuses. Low blood sugar mimics anxiety, and sugar crashes feel a lot like depression. Take your nutrition seriously.

As a person with mental illness, I don’t need any other triggers to make me feel out of it. I have to control what I can, and I can control my diet. I can eat at reasonable intervals.

I’m not saying you have to join a gym, or post before and after pictures on social media. I’m just saying to eat as healthy as you can and as regularly as you can. It will help you feel better and get the most out of your day.

7. Exercise.

Exercise helps so many people. You don’t have to go extreme to reap the benefits, either. A nice walk around the block for a few minutes on a sunny afternoon can change your entire perspective.

8. Focus on the recovery, not the stigma.

The stigma of mental illness sucks. But worse is not getting better. And all any of us really want, is to get better. Remember this: you are not your diagnosis. So, use your diagnosis to design a recovery plan and keep moving forward. Mental illness is not a death sentence.

As a reminder that hard days don’t last forever, Steve is including his newly released, “A Manifesto for Hard Days” as a free download for readers of The Kindness Blog.

To download this 8×10 printable artwork, click here.

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Bio: Steve Austin is a family man, writer, speaker, and advocate of second chances. Steve blogs regularly at www.iamsteveaustin.com You can also connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

21 comments

  3. Yes! Yes! Yes! I have survived three suicide attempts and finally after the last I learned what worked for me. I do all of the things you mentioned specialized to my own care. I still have good and bad days living with bipolar but managing things has become easier.

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  4. Thanks to each of you who have commented so far.

    Bob–I have learned that you are absolutely right. The simplest, most practical advice is always what I am drawn to. Glad it’s the same for you!

    PJ–I’m so glad you’re still here!!! Life is so hard and TRUST ME, I get bipolar. It’s no joke. But life does get better.

    Peace to you all today.

    Thanks for the thoughtful responses.

    –Steve

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  5. Pingback: 8 Ways to Recover After a Suicide Attempt – Kindness Blog – iamsteveaustin.com

  7. I try to follow this advice already as I am bipolar and survived an attempt. For me I have to go one step further w my support network. It’s one thing to have them in your corner, it’s another to be open and honest about suicidal thoughts and feelings in the moment. I tend to shut down and shut out the people that care the most when I need them the most. I’m working hard to keep the dialogue open no matter how painful.

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    1. Glad you’re still here, my friend. I understand completely. A support system is a blessing…and also the one thing that gets on my nerves. ha. I really do get it.

      Hope you’ll keep the dialogue open.

      Peace to you, friend.

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  10. Pingback: 8 Ways That I Recovered After My Suicide Attempt -

  12. Just thought I would take a quick peek at your site, and ended up reading every word, and took away some good stuff…I think. Nice. Picture Arnie as I type: I’ll be back!

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  13. Pingback: Links To Some Uplifting Posts (3-23-2016) – My Daily Musing

  14. Much good advise, like sleep and exercise, but I think we use too much medication, and that this should be used as a last resort rather than a first resort. It is important to recognize the limitations of our psychiatry, and the guinea pig type experimentation that is occurring, called two tries to get the right medicine. We advocate small amounts of organic marijuana, as this churns the unconscious, which may contain healing thoughts, though it is perhaps not good if the flood is coming in already. It is less addictive than antidepressants, and less toxic than coffee, a home remedy, but again not for everyone. Antidepressants are dangerous, and we have raised the question of whether these are over–prescribed and linked to public shootings, especially in the U. S. No one will as yet admit the question, and it has not been researched, but many report suicidal and “crazy” reactions to the antidepressants. Our shrinks earn six figures, and get kickbacks from the prescription drug industry, which is an important conflict of interest never acknowledged. Suicide is also a philosophical and ethical question worth thinking about, and was forbidden as a form of murder prior to our replacement of religion with psychology, not that the forms we had did not call for replacing. Visit our website for free, or Takingthemaskoff, where a psychiatric RN considers the suicide of his friend Joe, and we have left two scriptural and philosophic comments. We have a blog on depression and change, considering mild depression as psychohygenic, and raising the question of what occurs if that is so and we take drugs to numb it. Lastly, look to dreams: Carl Jung writes of “libido” or psychic energy trapped in the unconscious- another way of calling us to reflection and self knowledge as the cure. Not that there are not some serious forms, and the drugs as a last resort even I would allow, but not as a first resort.

    M. McDonald
    McDonald Philosophy and Politics
    mmcdonald77/Psychology
    PhD Politics, B.S. Psychology

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