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Suicide is a serious public health issue that affects millions of people worldwide. Recognizing the warning signs and providing support to those struggling is crucial for suicide prevention. Whether you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, being able to identify the signs and understanding which resources are available can be lifesaving.

Understanding Suicidal Feelings

Suicidal feelings often stem from overwhelming emotional pain, hopelessness and depression. These emotions can make it difficult for individuals to see any other way out of their suffering. However, it’s important to remember that help is available, and there are strategies to manage these feelings.

Warning Signs of Suicidal Thoughts

Being aware of the signs of suicidal thoughts can help you intervene before it’s too late. Some warning signs include:

If you notice any of the above signs in yourself or others, it’s essential to take them seriously and seek help immediately.

How to Cope with Suicidal Feelings

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, consider the following steps to cope:

Supporting Someone with Suicidal Thoughts

If someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, here’s how you can help:

Resources for Suicide Prevention

24-Hour Crisis Intervention Services

If you or someone you know needs immediate help for suicide prevention, please call 911 or get to the nearest hospital emergency room.

Local Hospital Emergency Rooms
UW Hospital Emergency Room
600 Highland Ave.
(608) 262-2398		 UW Health East Madison Hospital
4602 Eastpark Blvd.
(608) 440-6252		 UnityPoint Health – Meriter Hospital Emergency Room
202 S Park St.
(608) 417-6206
GHC-SCW Weekday and After-Hours Crisis Lines

For immediate help with a behavioral health emergency, GHC-SCW 24-hour phone contact is available to GHC-SCW members.

National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Anyone who needs support for suicidal thoughts, mental health and/or substance use crisis can call.
Click here to access a PDF of community and nationwide suicide crisis resources.

Journey Mental Health Crisis Line

This is a local crisis line for anyone who is a Dane County resident and not a GHC-SCW member: (608) 280-2600

Suicide Hotlines

Text and Chat Resources

Seeking Help

Suicide is preventable, and reaching out for help is a sign of strength. By understanding the warning signs and knowing how to offer support, we can make a difference in the lives of those who are struggling.

For more information and resources, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or The Trevor Project. If you are struggling with feelings of suicide, please remember that you are not alone and help is always available.

The pelvic floor consists of all the structures that form the floor or bottom of our pelvis from our pubic bone to our coccyx. Depending on the source, this may even include from the waist to the inner thigh or hip region. Muscles, nerves, blood vessels, fascia, organs and lymphatics reside in the pelvis. If we include the hip, lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint we now must consider how joint mobility and stability affect the pelvic floor and how the pelvic floor may affect these  In this post, not all anatomy will be discussed as this post would become a book. Enjoy some snippets of how our pelvic floor relates to the body.

Female Pelvic Floor Anatomy

To appreciate the pelvic floor for the female anatomy, see the images below:

This is an image looking from the bottom of the female pelvis depicting the urethra, vaginal and anal orifices (openings) and pelvic floor muscles. Some of the bony structures to view are the pubic symphysis (at the top), the ischial tuberosity (at the outer bottom) and the acetabulum. The acetabulum or concavity in the pelvic bone is the socket where the head of the femur (hip) attaches. An appreciation of the hip in pelvic floor issues can be realized by looking at the anatomy. The proximity of the hip joint to the pelvic floor and the hip muscles crossing the pelvis create a relationship to the pelvic floor.

 

This image is looking from the top down and into the inside of the female pelvis. You can appreciate the connections from the front (pubis) to the back (sacrum) and the attachments of the pelvic floor muscles and the direct relationship to hip musculature such as the iliacus, psoas and piriformis. The psoas, a long tubular muscle adjacent to the iliacus (see the image below), connects the lumbar spine to the femur by going through the pelvis. Contributions by the psoas may have a large effect on the spine and pelvic floor.

Male Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The image below shows a model of the male pelvic floor looking from the bottom up. The yellow lines depict the pudendal nerve which arises from the sacrum and has input for sensation, muscle activity of the urethra and anus. This helps with control over the bladder and bowel. It also relays information of touch, pleasure and pain to the brain. The large grey ligaments on either side of the pelvic floor are the sacrotuberous ligaments which aide in stability to the pelvis and connect into the hamstrings and the posterior superior iliac spine (ilium/pelvis).

The image below demonstrates the male pelvic floor model looking from the top down inside the pelvis. The hammock nature of the pelvic floor muscles shows the support nature for the anus and urethra to help control the bowel and bladder. At the top of the image, the abdominals are connected to the pubis of the pelvis. The abdominal wall can affect the pelvic floor. For example, if there are trigger points or knots in the abdominal wall pain can be referred to the pelvic floor.

Knowledge of anatomy, particularly the pelvic floor, is important in understanding the connections to the rest of the body and the impact the pelvic floor may have on our body and how it may affect it. If you think you may have a pelvic floor problem, please discuss with your provider to see if pelvic floor physical therapy may be appropriate for you.

References and Further Reading