Suicidal Thoughts and Suicide Ideation Therapy and Treatment Around Georgia

Therapy, Psychotherapy and Counseling

Therapy, psychotherapy, and counseling are forms of talk therapy that help you understand your behavior. Through structured conversations with a professional, you will process any underlying mental health issues, develop new emotional skills, and have the opportunity to be heard and validated, all the while being provided effective solutions and a deeper understanding of yourself. 

Medication Management

Sometimes talk therapy is not enough, and medication may be prescribed to help stabilize and improve your moods. For example, if you have suicidal thoughts because of an underlying depression diagnosis, depression counseling may be supplemented with common depression medication. These prescriptions can positively affect your brain chemistry to help you find emotional balance as you undergo treatment.

Inpatient Residential Treatment Programs

Residential programs at inpatient treatment centers provide you with 24/7 access to comprehensive mental health support. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts and require consistent supervision, a residential treatment facility may be the best place for you to receive psychiatric care. You will receive individual and group therapy and dedicate yourself to overcoming your mental health challenges full-time. 

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs) can provide excellent transitionary care if you are working to overcome suicidal thoughts. Meeting four to six days a week for a few hours at a time, you will attend treatment sessions at an outpatient treatment center and work to build skills and improve your overall emotional wellness. IOPs are excellent if you require more flexibility. 

Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)

A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is a step down from inpatient care and is another good form of transitionary care. Providing more time in treatment than an IOP, you’ll attend sessions for several hours per day, five to seven days each week. At the conclusion of each treatment session, you return home, maintaining some level of normalcy in your life. 

Crisis Intervention Services

Crisis intervention services provide immediate help when you’re experiencing psychological distress or a mental health emergency. The goal of these services is to ensure safety and help you stabilize, eventually connecting you to longer-term care. Crisis intervention services such as hotlines and emergency rooms provide timely and compassionate support and be a light in your moments of darkness.  

Finding Suicide Ideation Treatment Centers Near Me

Navigating all the available facilities and programs for suicidal thoughts can be overwhelming, and we want to help to make that process a little easier. If you are lost, here are some relatively simple ways to find a healthcare facility for suicidal ideation treatment in Atlanta, Georgia. 

1. Online Search: On a search engine like Google, type relevant keywords such as “suicide treatment in Atlanta,” “suicide ideation treatment in Georgia” or “therapy for suicidal thoughts Atlanta.” This can help you find local mental health facilities that can help.
2. Consult with Mental Health Professionals: Reach out to mental health professionals such as therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists near you. They can provide referrals to programs that specialize in treatment for suicidal thoughts.
3. Use Referral Services: Many mental health organizations offer referral services to help individuals locate treatment near them. Contact organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) for aid.
4. Check with Insurance Provider: If you have health insurance, contact your insurance provider to ask about mental health treatment centers and providers that offer services for suicidal ideation help and are in your insurance network. 
5. Read Reviews and Testimonials: Once you’ve identified a few potential medical treatment centers, carefully read reviews from people who received care at each rehabilitation center. This can give you insights into the quality of care and provide you with a sense of what you can expect if you were to attend treatment there.
6. Visit Websites and Contact Centers: Visit the websites of behavioral health centers near you to learn more about their programs and treatment approaches to see if they would be a good fit for you. Contacting the centers directly also gives you the opportunity to schedule an appointment or assessment to get started.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Suicidal Ideation

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for suicidal ideation can help you identify and change negative thought patterns that contribute to your suicidal thoughts. CBT will help you better understand yourself, address underlying emotional issues, develop positive coping strategies, and create behavioral change, all of which will help you on your path to resilience. 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Suicidal Ideation

When used to treat suicidal thoughts, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines the techniques of CBT with mindfulness and acceptance practices. This can help you improve your emotional regulation and distress tolerance, understanding that feelings are simply temporary visitors. Using this combination of techniques will support you as you learn to better manage overwhelming or distressing emotions. 

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) can be helpful when addressing suicidal thoughts because it focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and communication skills, which can help reduce feelings of isolation. By developing interpersonal skills and creating a network of support, IPT can help to improve mood, foster a sense of belonging, and reduce suicidal ideation

Supportive Therapy

Supportive therapy provides a compassionate and non-judgmental space for you to express all of your feelings that contribute to your suicidal ideation. Supportive therapy offers validation, encouragement, and understanding, helping you to feel less isolated. In supportive therapy, you will work on connecting and developing skills, preventing the escalation of suicidal thoughts while fostering your long-term emotional well-being.

Family or Couples Therapy

Suicidal intent impacts more than the individual; loved ones often suffer as well. Family or couples therapy involves your loved one(s) and addresses how to manage relational issues that may come up as a result of feelings associated with suicidal ideation. These therapies help to improve communication, resolve conflict, enhance emotional connection, and strengthen support systems. 

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy provides a safe and private place for you to explore and process your feelings, ultimately with the goal of addressing any underlying mental health issues. Many therapy approaches can be used in individual therapy, and you will build a toolbox of skills that you can revisit whenever you need some emotional help.

Stigma and Barriers to Help-Seeking

Mental health is still taboo to talk about, and this negative stigma can often be a barrier to care. This inability to express your feelings openly or process your emotions with someone you trust can often cause feelings of isolation and loneliness, leading to suicidal ideation. Seeking therapy can help you receive the support, validation, and compassion that you deserve. 

Mental Health Disorders

There are several mental health disorders that can cause suicidal thoughts, including depression and anxiety. Coping with these disorders can be difficult to manage and sometimes its so overwhelming that it can cause considerations of suicide. Asking for help is hard, but treatment at an integrative treatment center can help you find better coping mechanisms and emotional regulation skills. 

Trauma and Adverse Life Events

Trauma is an emotional response that occurs when you experience a distressing or disturbing event, such as an accident or assault. Trauma can cause intense feelings of denial, guilt, shame, and detachment. These negative feelings can sometimes manifest into suicidal tendencies.  A trauma treatment center that focuses on trauma-informed care can help you stabilize your mood and feel safe again. 

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse has been linked to an increased risk of suicidal ideation. Some substances can have unpredictable impacts on your mental health, and alcohol is a known depressant. Because substance use is linked with mental health, reactions to substances can lead to suicidal tendencies. Addiction recovery centers or co-occurring disorders treatment centers are equipped to help you get back on track. 

Chronic Pain and Illness

Dealing with chronic pain or illnesses can take a toll on your mental health. The pain you experience can be so intense that it can cause you to consider suicide as an alternative to living in pain. If you have a chronic illness, it’s important to seek help for both your mental and physical health to improve your quality of life. 

Social Isolation and Lack of Support

Loneliness is a common cause of suicide. If you don’t have a support network to lean on, feelings of bitterness and isolation can develop, causing you to wonder if suicide is the answer. It’s not, but there are answers that therapy can offer. Seeking help at a specialty treatment center can help you to realize you are not alone. 

Comprehensive Assessment

Once you choose a recovery center, your care team will conduct an assessment to get to know you, your mental health background, your type and duration of symptoms, and your goals for treatment. From there, they will create a tailored plan for you to follow over the course of your time in treatment. 

Safety Planning

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, your care team will assess your level of suicide risk and determine what precautions need to be taken during your time in the treatment center to ensure that you are taken care of. Your safety is the center’s top priority.

Psychotherapy/Counseling

You will engage in talk therapy with a mental health professional and work with them to build skills to address the root cause of your thoughts of suicide. Your therapist may utilize CBT, DBT, or another modality to help you develop coping strategies and tools to assist you on your path to emotional wellness. 

Medication Management

In some cases, you may be prescribed medication to supplement the work you are doing in your talk therapy sessions. The medication you are prescribed will likely depend on any underlying mental health issues that contribute to your suicidal thoughts. The medications prescribed will be different for everyone. 

Supportive Services

Your care team wants to make sure you know that you are supported, and so you will have plentiful opportunities to talk, vent, and verbally process. Expressing yourself is the first step towards healing. The trust that is developed between you and your care team is vital to help you know you are supported in your mental wellness journey.

Collaborative Care

All parts of your care team will work with one another, and with you, to collaborate and make sure that all aspects of the care you are receiving align with your treatment plan and goals. Improving your mental health to overcome suicidal ideation is truly a collaborative team effort, and we want you to take an active role. 

Ongoing Monitoring and Follow-Up

Over the course of your treatment program, your care team will monitor your progress and make adjustments to the treatment plan if necessary. They will provide you with tools you can take with you once you leave the therapy clinic, and help you to safely reintegrate back into the world post-treatment.