Sometimes people feel very sad, lonely, or like they can’t go on. These feelings can be hard to talk about. When someone is hurting deeply, they may use idioms or special phrases to describe how they feel. These idioms help people express emotional pain without saying it directly.
For example, someone might say they’re “at the end of their rope” or that they feel “like giving up.” These sayings show serious feelings, and it’s important to listen and care when someone uses them. In this article, you’ll learn 30 idioms that people might use when they are feeling deeply hopeless or emotionally lost. These phrases can help us notice when someone may need help and remind us that it’s okay to talk about tough feelings.
Idioms for Suicide
1. At the end of my rope
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t handle anything more.
Samples: I’m at the end of my rope with everything going wrong. / She said she was at the end of her rope and didn’t know what to do.
To Put it Another Way: Feeling like giving up. / No more strength left.
2. Lost the will to go on
Meaning: Feeling no reason or strength to keep trying.
Samples: He lost the will to go on after the big loss. / She felt like giving up.
To Put it Another Way: Very tired and hopeless. / No energy or hope.
3. In a dark place
Meaning: Feeling deeply sad or hopeless.
Samples: He’s been in a dark place since the news. / She said she’s stuck in a dark place.
To Put it Another Way: Feeling very down. / Full of sadness.
4. Giving up the fight
Meaning: Stopping the effort to keep going.
Samples: It felt like he was giving up the fight. / She was tired of fighting her feelings.
To Put it Another Way: Feeling like quitting. / No strength left to try.
5. No way out
Meaning: Feeling stuck with no solution.
Samples: He said it felt like there was no way out. / She cried because she saw no way out.
To Put it Another Way: Trapped in sadness. / Feeling like there’s no escape.
6. Close to the edge
Meaning: Almost breaking down emotionally.
Samples: She was close to the edge after the week she had. / He looked close to the edge during class.
To Put it Another Way: Nearly losing control. / Feeling like it’s too much.
7. Reached my breaking point
Meaning: Can’t take any more stress or pain.
Samples: He reached his breaking point after all the stress. / She said she was at her breaking point.
To Put it Another Way: Can’t go on. / Too much to handle.
8. Falling apart
Meaning: Emotionally breaking down.
Samples: She was falling apart after the phone call. / He started falling apart in class.
To Put it Another Way: Losing control of feelings. / Deeply upset.
9. Not okay
Meaning: Feeling bad even if you say you’re fine.
Samples: He said he was fine, but he was not okay. / She smiled, but we knew she wasn’t okay.
To Put it Another Way: Pretending to be okay. / Hiding pain.
10. Silent scream
Meaning: Feeling pain but not talking about it.
Samples: He walked around like a silent scream. / She was quiet, but it felt like a silent scream.
To Put it Another Way: Hurting inside without showing it. / Quiet pain.
11. Cry for help
Meaning: A way of showing someone needs support, even if they don’t say it.
Samples: His sudden anger was really a cry for help. / She didn’t say anything, but missing school was a cry for help.
To Put it Another Way: A sign someone needs care. / Asking for support in a quiet way.
12. Carrying a heavy heart
Meaning: Feeling very sad inside.
Samples: She walked into school carrying a heavy heart. / He smiled, but you could tell his heart was heavy.
To Put it Another Way: Full of sadness. / Feeling emotional weight.
13. Worn down
Meaning: Tired from too many problems or emotions.
Samples: He looked worn down after so much stress. / She said she felt completely worn down.
To Put it Another Way: Exhausted emotionally. / No more energy.
14. Giving up hope
Meaning: Feeling like things won’t get better.
Samples: He was giving up hope of things changing. / She said she didn’t believe in better days anymore.
To Put it Another Way: Losing trust that things will improve. / Feeling hopeless.
15. Crushed by the weight
Meaning: Feeling like your problems are too heavy to carry.
Samples: He looked crushed by the weight of everything. / She sat quietly, crushed by the weight of her feelings.
To Put it Another Way: Overwhelmed by emotions. / Too much to bear.
16. Drowning in sorrow
Meaning: Feeling overwhelmed by sadness.
Samples: She felt like she was drowning in sorrow. / He seemed lost, drowning in sorrow.
To Put it Another Way: Deeply sad. / Feeling like sadness is everywhere.
17. Shutting down
Meaning: Closing off feelings and going quiet.
Samples: He was shutting down after the bad news. / She shut down and didn’t speak for the rest of the day.
To Put it Another Way: Withdrawing. / Feeling too much to talk.
18. No light at the end of the tunnel
Meaning: Feeling like things won’t improve.
Samples: He said there was no light at the end of the tunnel. / She felt trapped with no light ahead.
To Put it Another Way: No hope in sight. / Nothing feels better.
19. Falling into darkness
Meaning: Slowly becoming more sad or lost.
Samples: He was falling into darkness after the loss. / She felt like every day was darker.
To Put it Another Way: Getting worse emotionally. / Feeling less and less okay.
20. Can’t hold on much longer
Meaning: Feeling like you’re close to giving up.
Samples: She whispered she couldn’t hold on much longer. / He looked like he was just trying to hang on.
To Put it Another Way: Nearly giving up. / Feeling tired of fighting.
21. In too deep
Meaning: Feeling trapped in a problem that’s too big.
Samples: He felt like he was in too deep with all his troubles. / She said she was in too deep to fix it.
To Put it Another Way: Feeling stuck. / The problem feels too big to handle.
22. Losing yourself
Meaning: Not feeling like your normal self anymore.
Samples: She said she was losing herself in sadness. / He felt like he wasn’t the same anymore.
To Put it Another Way: Forgetting who you are. / Feeling very lost.
23. Can’t see a way out
Meaning: Feeling like there’s no solution.
Samples: He said he couldn’t see a way out. / She cried because she saw no way to fix it.
To Put it Another Way: Trapped in feelings. / No answer in sight.
24. Just going through the motions
Meaning: Doing things without feeling or care.
Samples: She was just going through the motions at school. / He wasn’t smiling just doing what he had to.
To Put it Another Way: Not really living. / Just existing, not enjoying.
25. Behind a mask
Meaning: Hiding true feelings from others.
Samples: He was always behind a mask of smiles. / She laughed, but it was just a mask.
To Put it Another Way: Pretending to be okay. / Hiding pain.
26. On the verge of tears
Meaning: Almost crying from sadness.
Samples: She was on the verge of tears after class. / He stood quietly, on the verge of tears.
To Put it Another Way: Almost crying. / Feeling overwhelmed.
27. Trapped in my head
Meaning: Stuck with sad or troubling thoughts.
Samples: He said he was trapped in his head with worry. / She couldn’t sleep, trapped in her head.
To Put it Another Way: Can’t stop thinking. / Feeling stuck inside your mind.
28. Like I don’t matter
Meaning: Feeling invisible or unimportant.
Samples: He whispered that he felt like he didn’t matter. / She said no one would care if she left.
To Put it Another Way: Feeling left out. / Believing you’re not important.
29. Letting go
Meaning: Stopping the effort to stay connected or strong.
Samples: She felt like she was letting go of everything. / He was quiet, letting go of his usual smile.
To Put it Another Way: Not holding on anymore. / Giving up slowly.
30. Numb inside
Meaning: Feeling nothing because of too much sadness.
Samples: He said he was numb inside. / She looked numb no words, no tears.
To Put it Another Way: So sad you feel nothing. / Deep emotional emptiness.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Suicide
Activity: “A Note from Jordan”
Jordan hadn’t spoken much at school lately. He came in each day, but it felt like he was just going through the motions. His teachers noticed he was quiet, and his friends said he wasn’t himself. “It’s like he’s always behind a mask,” Maya whispered.
One afternoon, his friend Liam found a note Jordan had dropped. It read: “I’m trapped in my head with thoughts that won’t stop. I feel like I’m in too deep, and I can’t see a way out. Some days, I feel like I’m on the verge of tears, and other days I just feel numb inside. I walk around with a heavy heart, but nobody notices. I try to smile, but it feels like I’m losing myself.”
Liam showed the note to the school counselor. That same day, Jordan was called in to talk. It was the beginning of something new a way for him to feel heard, to feel safe.
Your Task:
Can you find and list all 8 idioms for suicide-related emotional distress used in the story?
Answer Key
- Going through the motions
- Behind a mask
- Trapped in my head
- In too deep
- Can’t see a way out
- On the verge of tears
- Numb inside
- Heavy heart
Conclusion
Sometimes, people feel pain that they don’t know how to explain. Idioms like “numb inside” or “can’t see a way out” are ways they try to show they’re hurting. These phrases are not just words; they’re signs that someone may need help.
Learning to understand these idioms helps us listen better and care more. If you or someone you know uses these kinds of phrases, it’s important to talk to a trusted adult. Everyone deserves support. You are not alone.
