You think tens of thousands of thoughts every day. Thoughts can and usually do drive your feelings. So, if your thoughts push your feelings toward an unproductive or self-destructive state of mind, you must be on high alert! Find a trustworthy mental health professional, counselor, friend, family member, or adult you respect who will meet with you a few times to help you sort out your thoughts and get them headed in a positive direction.

Get some help soon! Suppose you often find yourself thinking dark thoughts or thoughts of self-harm. In that case, that's a glaring light, a signal to value yourself enough to find someone (or several someones) to talk to who will help you redirect your thinking and encourage you to enjoy, rather than dread, the extraordinary life you have.

What should you do if you hear, read, have a "friend" tell you, or think "self-harm is a thought that I should be entertaining?" RUN. Run right out of the room or away from the screen. A good run to get you out of breath can help clear your mind.

Make a red flag checklist to keep in your mind or on your phone to help you recognize scenarios that show that you might be struggling with feelings that can lead to self-harm:

• Being emotionally dull, almost no feelings
• A heavy, angry, or sorrowful heart
• You feel disconnected from yourself
• Thoughts like "I'm such a loser; what's the use of trying?"
• "Nobody will ever understand me"

Remember, we ALL have feelings, and, for most of us, those feelings can sometimes take us low. Accept that as a fact, but make certain you keep battling against doing something harmful while your emotions are unusually chaotic. Choosing to fight is a determination you must make in advance.

It is a good habit to remind yourself who is in the driver's seat of your thoughts and emotions. YOU ARE! Use that determination and the fantastic brain power you possess to rise above dark thoughts and feelings to much more hope-filled ones.

Beware! Be aware. And don't go there. When dark emotions or thought patterns begin to well up inside you, heed the warning signs. Have a plan for where you can go that's a better place mentally or physically. Now, go there quickly and without hesitation.

When dark, oppressive thoughts deepen, and you feel yourself being pushed in an unhealthy, irreversible direction, CALL FOR HELP! Identify and ask three people you respect to answer the phone if they see your number.

Write down all the fearful and gloomy thoughts in your mind. Put them on paper. Then destroy the paper. Crumple it up, cut it into tiny pieces, stomp on it, yell at it. Tell those thoughts they do not and will not own you.

The next time you have an "I can't believe I thought that" moment, take note: it's time to put up a barrier in your mind. Make an absolute commitment to go to war mentally by way of a mental barrier that says, "YOU MAY NOT PASS THROUGH. BE GONE."

Find one happy thought amid all the dark ones and cling to it like a lifeboat in a stormy sea: a memory, a hope, a dream, a wish, a joke you heard, a smile you made happen. This happy thought won't erase the darkness, but it can give you a burst of strength and motivation to stay afloat during the storm.

When your sad heart has trouble finding gladness, set aside some time to put your heartache away. Put it in a box or on a shelf in your mind, and look a little more intently for the good. Each day brings new goodness-a reason to smile, even for a moment.

One good thing about being knocked flat on your back is there is only one way to look - UP. Keep reminding yourself that there will be better days ahead, and be sure to guard against saying or doing something you would definitely regret. Exercising self-control is worth it!

Starting right now, focus less on the heavy things that weigh you down. Instead of being engulfed by the darkness of "what-ifs," focus on what you can control, what's going right, and the amazing things you're capable of.

What has made you sad this week? Back away from it emotionally as far as your strength will allow you. Now, place it in life's big picture. Did it lose some power? Allow yourself to feel sad, and remember, it won't feel like this forever.

When your emotions are in chaos, finding the right words to reach out for help can be hard. Instead of stressing over perfect words, copy and paste one of these into a text to a trusted support person:

• When you get a chance, can you contact me? I feel really alone, and I'm afraid I might harm myself. I could use some support.
• I'm afraid I might harm myself. Talking with you may help me feel safe. Are you free to talk?
• This is really hard for me to say, but I'm having painful thoughts and it might help to talk. Are you free?
• I'm struggling right now and just need to talk to someone — can we chat?

Sometimes, fear or shame makes it hard for us to reach out when we know we need help dealing with dark, harmful thoughts. Maybe you don't think you have anyone you can trust. Instead, you can contact the national crisis hotline to speak to a trained professional who can talk you through your struggles without judgment or help you find local help.

Everybody has memories-some might bring joy and delight, while others may be heavy, hard, and full of hurt. Sometimes, we need help figuring out what to do with memories like that. Don't be afraid to ask for help from a friend, a mentor, a safe adult, or a professional like a doctor, therapist, or counselor.

What is the heaviest, most difficult-to-shake event in your past? The heavy burden of that memory is weighing you down more than you may realize. It's time for a burial ceremony. It's time for you to say, "I cannot and will not carry this heavy weight one more day. Be gone! You are dead and buried forever"

Do you often feel stuck in neutral or like you're slowly rolling backward? Chances are your negative self-talk is getting to you more than you realize. Here is a starter plan:

• Say to the negativity, "I've had enough."
• Now, work at re-learning how to talk to yourself with greater hope and vision for your future.
• Next, picture yourself moving the shifter out of neutral and into a positive, forward gear.
• Now that you are moving forward, think of yourself as a problem solver, not a problem-accumulator!