Being in the Safety Zone

This study examined how previously suicidal adolescents and emerging adults perceived their emotional experiences while being suicidal. Forty-one females and 9 males previously suicidal between the ages of 15 and 24 were interviewed. Qualitative data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Three major themes were identified in participants’ perceptions of their emotional experiences: (a) overwhelming despair, (b) shame and self-loathing, and (c) alienation and personal isolation. These emotional states were viewed within the multidimensional process of responding to emotions. Participants’ inability to deal with intense negative emotions appeared to be related to their suicidal state.