[Samanthagreene]

This is a little weird, but I wondered what qualified as attempting suicide. I feel like this is kind of important for me to know, although I'm not sure why.
Thanks,
-Sam

[tigerlily84]

I was going to say that it depends on the Intent behind the attempt, but now I'm not so sure.

For example, I was in denial for years that what I had done was an attempt. I don't remember thinking and planning it out - I just did it to make the pain go away. It had become unbearable.

I think if you are asking this question as I did, then you need to talk to a therapist about it. I hope that you get the the help you need.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

It means you have actually done something to yourself that would / could (or did) result in your actual demise.

The lucky ones (like me) are not successful which enables them to get the help they need until they are strong enough to realize that this isn't the only solution/option to coping with the overwhelming emotional pain that sends them there in the first place.

I hope you are not in this space! ... If you are, please reach out for all the support and help you need in order to help you get through it safely!

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by Pfrog

It means you have actually done something to yourself that would / could (or did) result in your actual demise.

The lucky ones (like me) are not successful which enables them to get the help they need until they are strong enough to realize that this isn't the only solution/option to coping with the overwhelming emotional pain that sends them there in the first place.

I hope you are not in this space! ... If you are, please reach out for all the support and help you need in order to help you get through it safely!

I agree, with pfrog.

[ToeJam]

Pretty much what Pfrog said. To be honest I was a little unsure how else anybody could answer the initial question. It's a case of attempt or it's not.

Thinking about it is not the same as doing it if that narrows down what you were trying to get at? If however you're asking about putting yourself at risk... which could go either way but you're not exactly deliberately trying to end things... just in a state of not caring... then I'm not sure how you'd quantify that. I have been in both situations, but with the latter I wasn't really thinking about it as such... it just didn't matter.

i hope you are okay, samantha.

i hope you are not thinking of trying it?

[jesusplay]

depends in my opinion.

I OD on lethal dose of diphenhydramine and alcohol passed out, then woke up in a puddle of puke the next day...call it an attempt.

If you intend to kill yourself and some outside factor prevents it..attempt.

If you cut your wrist, or od on pills and go to get help...I think it's just a cry for help...my opinion.

[Samanthagreene]

Okay, I guess what I was asking was if I tried to cut my wrist but it wasn't really a predetermined decision and I wasn't using anything that was sharp enough to ever work. Thanks for all the responses.

[NextToNormal]

Personally I think suicide attempt happens when you actually believe you are going to die. Like jesusplay's first example I guess. Where you're doing it and you actually know this is going to kill you but for some reason it doesn't.

[Nerak67]

Originally Posted by Samanthagreene

Okay, I guess what I was asking was if I tried to cut my wrist but it wasn't really a predetermined decision and I wasn't using anything that was sharp enough to ever work. Thanks for all the responses.

Whether or not you label that a suicide attempt it needs to be addressed very seriously. Do you have a therapist? I think it is important that you speak to someone. Stay safe.

[Samanthagreene]

Yeah, I'm seeing someone, and it wasn't recent. My meds hadn't kicked in back then. I guess I just really like labeling things (It makes me feel more secure if things have names) and so that's what I'm trying to do.

[ThisWayOut]

I would go with the intent being the deciding factor. I have OD'd in the past without intending to die, but just to get a break via being unconscious. I have also come close to dying via self harm, but it was never intended to kill me.
I classify attempts as something deliberate that I had hoped would kill me (premeditated or impulsive). I don't count the self-harm taken too far, because I was not wanting to die, just gain relief (and feed the addiction - more was needed to get the same high/relief from it).
If your cutting was done in hopes of killing yourself (even if the wounds would not have been sufficient to do it), I would classify that as an attempt, even if it was not planned. If you had not intended to die from it (Or even wished to die from it), but came close to dying, I would just put that in the category of a self-harm slip-up and not an actual attempt.
I'm glad you are working with a therapistnon everything. I too understand wanting to classify stuff. It makes some things easier to understand.

[Wren_]

Hi everyone, the question looks like it has been answered now and we are closing it with a reminder that discussing actual suicide attempts is against our community guidelines which you can read here Forums at Psych Central - FAQ/Help: Forums at Psych Central

Thanks