It’s normal to feel sad, down in the dumps, or even depressed once in a while. Usually, one is able to cope with problems with the help of family and friends. However, sometimes problems come up that make one feel so depressed or hopeless that there seems to be no way out. One may, at this time, begin to think about hurting oneself or committing suicide.
If someone is having these thoughts, it may be because they feel depressed or hopeless, feel like a failure, have trouble coping with loss or feel socially isolated. There are other possible reasons as well. Counselling will help the client through the immediate suicide crisis and address the underlying issues that need new ways of coping. This is done by establishing rapport, listening, managing the emotions, and then exploring alternatives.