Nearly everyone goes through a time in life in which they experience depression. Whether it’s unfavorable environmental factors, traumatic experiences, and/or dealing with mental illness, depression has become very common. In some cases, the depression becomes so overwhelming, that we are unable to cope with it.  The inability to cope with severe depression is what leads most people to become suicidal – they believe there is no hope for their current situation.

No one is immune to feeling depressed and suicidal – even the most seemingly upbeat and well put-together celebrities like Robin Williams have fallen victim to suicide. In order to get through a tough time when we feel suicidal, sometimes we just need to hear that other people have felt this same way, and have survived to live long, productive lives.  Below is a compilation of various quotes and sayings that express what it’s like to feel suicidal.

10 Suicidal Quotes and Sayings + Interpretations

One way some people cope with feeling suicidal is to seek out inspirational quotes that we can relate to when we feel a particular way.  These are quotes that people have stated that may help you gain perspective on the topic of suicide.  Many of these quotes contain big-picture messages or inspiration, while others reflect the reality a person faces when they feel suicidal.

1. “But in the end one needs more courage to live than to kill himself.” – Albert Camus

Most individuals believe that the act of suicide is cowardly. Whether it actually is cowardly is debatable. However, individuals that consider suicide tend to hold the belief that they are not courageous enough to deal with the pain that they are experiencing in life. In reality, the quote by Albert Camus is highly accurate based on the fact that it can take significant courage to continue living when your entire reality is ridden with pain.

2. “When you’re young and healthy you can plan on Monday to commit suicide, and by Wednesday you’re laughing again.” – Marilyn Monroe

This is a great quote from Marilyn Monroe because it highlights the ability of mood and circumstances to change by the day, especially among young people. One day you may be dealing with a bad breakup or traumatic event and want to end it all, the next day you may have found a new friend or someone to love and are grateful that you stuck around. This quote does a good job of summing up life: some days you experience pain, but pleasure will eventually follow.

3. “Did you really want to die? No one commits suicide because they want to die. Then why do they do it? Because they want to stop the pain.” – Tiffanie DeBartolo

In most cases, this quote is highly accurate. Other than suicide for various religious or philosophical reasons, most people don’t really want to die, they just want to stop the pain. If those who are suffering could find a way to introduce more pleasure into their lives and actually enjoyed being alive, they likely wouldn’t even consider suicide. Suicidal thoughts signify that there is significant pain and/or some sort of dysfunction in life. Innate human instinct makes the act of suicide against our nature as human beings.

4. “There was a moment in my life when I really wanted to kill myself. And there was one other moment when I was close to that… But even in my most jaded times, I had some hope.” – Gerard Way

For anyone who is suicidal, it is important to realize that although circumstances may be difficult, you should always maintain hope that times will improve. If you feel depressed, something as simple as learning about the latest treatment developments or technology can help improve your mood.

Although you may feel as if you have already hit rock bottom and cannot recover, it is beneficial to remain hopeful that you’ll experience happiness and pleasure in your future. No matter how much pain you currently feel, maintaining hope for the future can be a great way to cope.

5. “The thought of suicide is a great consolation: by means of it one gets through many a dark night.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

This quote explains that the thought of suicide can help us get through tough times. In other words, we can think about suicide without actually following through with the act – hence the thought being referred to as a “great consolation.” For some individuals, just knowing that suicide is an option can be a thought that helps them cope with the pain that they are experiencing.

6. “Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?” – Albert Camus

When it comes to the act of following through with suicide, many people experience indifference. This is very common among those with schizoid personality disorder – they may experience suicidal thoughts, but those thoughts may not be overwhelming enough to really matter. Additionally many people who are suicidal lack motivation to get out of bed, let alone actually plot a suicidal act. With this quote, the act of suicide is trivialized by suggesting that the author is more likely to attempt to experience a simple pleasure in life: having a cup of coffee.

7. “Nothing in my life has ever made me want to commit suicide more than people’s reaction to my trying to commit suicide.” – Emilie Autumn

There is significant stigma attached to individuals who attempt suicide. The fact that a person has attempted suicide can lead to others acting concerned. They may begin treating the person differently and/or acting as if they are a societal outcast for making the attempt. T

he reactions that people have when another person commits suicide can (in many cases), can further reinforce a person’s motivation for committing suicide. This suggests it is best to be mindful and supportive (of healing) as opposed to ignorant and complacent if you know someone who has attempted suicide.

8. “When people kill themselves, they think they’re ending the pain, but all they’re doing is passing it on to those they leave behind.” – Jeannette Walls

Many people who commit suicide are not fully aware that taking their own life can create an entirely different pain for the survivors. In many cases, the same degree of emotional pain is felt by those who have to carry on living with a family member or friend who took their own life.

Imagine a person you deeply care about taking their own life and think about how you would feel if this happened. This quote is realistic because although a suicide may end an individual’s internal pain, those who loved the person may now feel an incredible amount of guilt and suffer as a result of their devastating loss.

9. “I am constantly torn between killing myself and killing everyone around me.” – David Levithan

Many people get frustrated with the people in their environment and social settings. Sometimes feeling socially ostracized can make a person contemplate suicide and feelings of rage. In some cases, people feel like taking their anger and frustrations out on others around them. This quote represents the fact that in some cases, suicidal thoughts can be a result of the people in your immediate environment.

It represents the need for change in social groups, ending old relationships, and starting new, healthier ones. Being stuck in poor relationships can make some individuals feel as if the only way to escape is to take their own life.

10. “The man who kills a man kills a man. The man who kills himself kills all men. As far as he is concerned, he wipes out the world.” – G.K. Chesterton

This quote describes the fact that killing someone does not end your personal existence. However, when you take your own life, your entire world comes to an end. Your entire existence including emotions, environmental processing, experiences, and thoughts are your own. If you take your own life, your consciousness may cease to exist – therefore ending the entire world as you have come to know it.

How do you cope with suicidal thoughts and feelings?

Reading quotes may be beneficial because they often share insight into another person’s perspective on suicide and/or similar sentiments with your experience.  However, it is important to address these painful emotions and attempt to move forward with life.  How is this done? Usually by increasing a person’s ability to cope with their painful emotions as well as increasing the amount of pleasure in their life.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, it is important to get yourself professional help and/or share these feelings with someone you trust. Despite feeling depressed and struggling with pain, it is possible to enjoy life again. Most experts hypothesize that suicidal thoughts happen when a person’s emotional pain exceeds pleasure and/or their ability to cope with that pain.

If you are worried about someone who has been talking about taking their own life, be sure to understand common suicide warning signs and seek immediate professional help.  For more information on feeling suicidal read: causes of suicide and suicide risk factors.  As depression rates continue to climb, it is important to stay informed on how to cope with these feelings and how you can get someone who feels suicidal the help that they need.  Hopefully the quotes listed above can help certain individuals put their emotions in perspective.

Suicidal feelings are not permanent, they will eventually subside as a person figures out how to cope with their negative emotions (e.g. depression).  If you feel severely depressed, you could also read various inspirational depression quotes to provide you with more hope and inspiration.  Do you have any quotes that you reference to help pick you back up when you feel suicidal? Are there any other quotes that you find helpful on the topic of suicide that were not included on this list? Feel free to share your personal favorites in the comments section below.