What to do if I feel suicidal: Advice and support
While a little stress can be healthy, too much can become overwhelming. It’s common to feel down or have suicidal thoughts when life feels out of control. These feelings can stem from ongoing or recent challenges. Although we can’t control what happens to us, we can control our responses. It’s essential to recognise when you’re feeling overwhelmed and take action.
Living with suicidal thoughts is difficult, especially during your lowest moments. Everyday tasks may feel monumental, and thoughts of "why bother?" can lead to a vicious cycle of negativity affecting your family, job, and friendships. Many people experience these thoughts for years, sometimes constantly, sometimes intermittently.
It’s important to know that you’re not alone; suicidal thoughts are more common than many realise. Talking to someone can be incredibly helpful, as sharing your feelings can lead to new solutions. Many people and organisations are ready to support you during tough times. With the right help, your feelings can change, and you can overcome these thoughts.
Taking steps to protect yourself is vital when these thoughts persist. Choosing to keep going despite the challenges is tough but possible.
Thinking about suicide does not make it inevitable that you are going to take your own life. There are ways to live with thoughts of suicide.
If you’re still here, then you have something left. Something that means you haven’t acted on your thoughts. What in your life continues to give you hope?
We understand that talking about your feelings might feel daunting or even embarrassing, but please know that you don’t have to go through this alone. It’s okay to seek support when you’re struggling with difficult emotions. If you’re having thoughts of ending your life, we urge you to reach out to someone who can help. You deserve to be heard and supported.
If you think you might be depressed or are contemplating suicide, one of the best places to start is by seeking help from your GP (general practitioner). It’s common to worry about discussing your suicidal feelings with your doctor. Finding the right words can be challenging, and you may feel anxious, embarrassed, or frightened because you don’t know what to expect. However, doctors are accustomed to listening to individuals experiencing difficult emotions.
While GPs do not usually specialize in specific areas of medicine, they are always willing to listen. They can prescribe medication and refer you to specialist mental health services, such as the following:
- Talking therapies: There may be a long wait for NHS talking therapies in your area. You can also seek help through charities, your workplace, or university, or choose to pay for private therapy.
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Community mental health team (CMHT),
- Your GP might also refer you to the local NHS Crisis Team for home or hospital support during a crisis.
They can also refer you for additional therapies like:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a psychotherapy that teaches individuals strategies to manage stress, recognise thought patterns, and explore alternatives to suicidal thoughts.
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a psychotherapy that reduces suicidal behaviour in adolescents and suicide attempts in adults with borderline personality disorder, characterised by mood swings and impulsive actions. A trained DBT therapist helps individuals identify disruptive thoughts and teaches effective coping skills for challenging situations.
- Brief Intervention Strategies: Research shows that creating a safety or crisis response plan with clear instructions on seeking help can reduce the risk of acting on suicidal thoughts. Staying connected with at-risk individuals and regularly checking in can also lower the likelihood of future attempts. Additionally, safe storage of lethal means and collaborative assessment of suicide risk can help decrease suicidal thoughts and improve overall safety.
- Collaborative Care: Collaborative care is a team-based approach to mental health treatment, involving a behavioural health care manager, the individual, primary health care providers, and mental health specialists to create a personalized treatment plan. It has been shown to effectively treat depression and reduce suicidal thoughts.
It is essential to communicate openly and honestly with your GP about any concerns regarding self-harm and suicidal thoughts. They are there to support you and genuinely want to help.
You may find the following leaflet helpful when planning a visit with your gp.
It’s helpful to bring someone you trust to your appointment and to prepare what you want to say. Be open and specific about any thoughts of suicide.
For more tips on how to talk to your GP, please refer to Mind's Find the Words, which can be found HERE.
We also have a range of ARRS roles practitioners that can help with a variety of mental health issues. Perhaps your suicidal thoughts are in response to social factors like isolation or homelessness. In which case, our Health and Wellbeing coaches or Social Prescribers may be able to help you. Perhaps you’re older and struggling to do things in your own home and this has left you feeling helpless and alone in which case our Occupational Therapist may be able to help. Or for other mental health issues we have a Primary Care Specialist Mental Health Practitioner on our team.
You can find out more about our ARRS roles, how they can hep you and how to arrange an appointment via the links below.
What if it's an emergency?
If you feel yourself spiralling dangerously and need immediate help because you can’t keep yourself safe or have already harmed yourself, there are a variety of NHS services available to help you there and then. A crisis service is any service that's available at short notice to help and support you during a mental health crisis. These services include:
- Emergency GP appointments: An emergency appointment allows you to see a GP quickly. The GP can provide information, prescribe medication, or refer you for additional support. You can access urgent help from any GP surgery without being registered as a patient.
- Call 111: They are there, ready to listen and help you 24hrs a day.
- 999 and A&E: If you have seriously harmed yourself or are thinking of ending your life, seek urgent medical help immediately. Call 999, or ask someone to do it for you. You can also go to Accident & Emergency (A&E) if you are able or get someone else to take you. You can find your nearest A&E HERE.
- Crisis resolution and home treatment (CRHT): Crisis teams can help during a mental health crisis outside of a hospital. They may be called different names locally, and usually, a referral is needed to access their support, this can be gotten from a GP or A&E. See Mind’s page on crisis teams for more information.
- Crisis houses: Receive short-term intensive support for a mental health crisis in a residential setting instead of a hospital. Most require a referral from a mental health professional, but some allow self-referrals. See Mind’s page on crisis houses for more information.
- Local support services: This organization may provide day services, drop-in sessions, counselling, or support for a variety of specific issues. You can find more information on day services and access local support services on the Mind website HERE.
- Local NHS urgent mental health helpline: You can find details of your local NHS urgent mental health helpline at: www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline. Or you can call NHS 111 to ask them for details.
- NHS talking therapy services: NHS talking therapy services are sometimes known as ‘IAPT’ services. If you don’t need urgent support, they might be a service that can help you. You can find your local NHS talking therapy service by calling NHS111 or searching on the NHS website HERE .
What if I've had bad experiences with crisis support services?
Not all support options may be available or suitable for you, and past negative experiences may worsen feelings of hopelessness. Remember, you deserve support. Reach out to trusted individuals or an advocate to help connect you with healthcare professionals.
If you've had poor experiences with the NHS, the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) can assist you. There's more information about PALS on the NHS website.
An NHS complaints advocate can also help you to complain about services that treated you poorly.
Talking can be incredibly helpful. Sharing your feelings with someone can make you feel less alone and give you a sense of control. While it may not erase your thoughts or change your emotions, it can make coping with them a bit easier.
Sometimes, it can be easier to talk and open up to a stranger than to a general practitioner (GP) or a loved one. Fortunately, there are many organizations ready to help you. Helplines and listening services offer valuable information and support when you need it. Many of these services operate at various times throughout the day, with some available 24/7, providing a confidential and judgment-free platform.
Whether you need someone to chat with during a low moment, wish to speak with someone who has experienced similar challenges, or require professional help during a crisis, there is a helpline that can meet your needs.
If talking to a real person on the phone feels overwhelming at the moment, some organizations offer text services to help you feel more comfortable. Help and support are available right now if you need them. You don't have to face difficult feelings alone.
24hr Helplines:
Text Services:
- Shout text service: if you'd prefer not to talk over the phone, you could try a text service such as the Shout crisis 24/7 text service – text SHOUT to 85258 See www.giveusashout.org for more information.
You may also find some of the following websites, leaflets or apps helpful in helping yourself cope with suicidal thoughts
- Stay Alive: Grassroots Suicide Prevention: A suicide prevention pocket App resource for the UK. Stay Alive offers help and support both to people with thoughts of suicide and to people concerned about someone else. The app can be personalised to tailor it to the user. Available FREE from The App store or Google Play.
- Stop Suicide organisation Leaflet: advice on coping with suicidal thoughts
- Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): Call 0800 58 58 58 – 5pm to midnight every day. Call 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) if you're affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts. Or if you prefer not to speak on the phone, you could try the CALM webchat service.
- SOS Silence of Suicide: SOS silence brings together anyone affected by suicide, whether they be bereaved, having thoughts of suicide, or have attempted suicide. They have a listening support service, and in-person support groups. Call 0808 115 1505 – 8pm to midnight Monday to Friday, 4pm to midnight Saturday and Sunday. Email contact@sossilenceofsuicide.org
- Mind website and support line: Call Mind's support line on 0300 102 1234. 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).
- SANEline: If you're experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm–10pm every day).
- Switchboard: If you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, you can call Switchboard on 0300 330 0630 or 0800 0119 100 (10am–10pm every day), email hello@switchboard.lgbt or use their webchat service. Phone operators all identify as LGBT+.
- Befrienders Worldwide - Global Suicide Prevention: Some people cannot talk to family or friends. Some find it easier to talk to a stranger. There are befriending centers all over the world, with volunteers who have been trained to listen. If calling is too difficult, the person can send an email; some centres provide face-to-face help for people who drop by, and some provide help by internet one-to-one chat and respond to SMS text messages.
- Support Line: They try to help people find positive ways to cope and feel better about themselves. Telephone: 01708 765200 Email: info@supportline.org.uk
- The Ollie Foundation: Support for young people, parents and carers
- Mental Health UK: Suicide
- Every Matters: Suicide Help book (pdf)
- MIND: How to cope with suicidal feeling (pdf)
- NHS UK: Help for suicidal thoughts
- Dear Life
- Stay Alive
- Health In Mind: 5 ways to wellbeing
- Better Health: Every Mind Matters
- Mind Out: LGBTQ Suicide Prevention
- Harmless: Suicidal thoughts and feeling flyer (pdf)
- MIND: Crisis support
- Rethink Mental Illness: Suicidal thoughts – How to cope
- IASP: Crisis support contacts
Most helplines are free and confidential. However, if you have any concerns, it's a good idea to visit their website to verify this information. If the line is busy, try calling a few times, or consider calling back later or trying a different service.
When you find one or more helplines that work well for you, it may be worth putting their numbers in your phone for easy access in case of emergency.
You can also call these helplines for advice if you're worried about someone else.
Emotional support from a trusted source like family, friends, colleagues or a teacher can have a hugely positive effect. Pick someone who can offer you time and understanding.
Positive experiences of opening up about suicidal thoughts can prevent many suicides. Talking with loved ones can help someone feel safe and secure, allowing suicidal thoughts to pass. They can also support you to find the help that you deserve.
Spending time with people and building a support network can help with suicidal feelings. This may feel hard to do if you're isolated or feel very negatively about yourself.
The earlier you let someone know how you're feeling, the quicker you'll be able to get support. But it can be difficult to open up to others, especially when it comes to sharing thoughts of suicide. Confiding in someone close to you can feel scary and stressful. If you choose to talk to someone, consider the following points:
- Timing: It's important to speak with someone when they have time to listen. Your thoughts matter, but finding the right moment can be tough. Instead of waiting, consider asking for a quiet time to talk.
- Location: When you are ready to speak with someone, it is best to do so in a private and peaceful location. You should avoid interruptions and disturbances.
- Finding the words: We often find it challenging to express ourselves, especially when stressed. Writing down your thoughts and feelings in advance allows you to consider what you want to say, making it easier to read them aloud in person.
- Their reaction: Be prepared for a strong emotional reaction when sharing this information. The person you tell may feel hurt, confused, or angry, but they might also be supportive. If their response isn't what you hoped for, give them time; their reaction is likely rooted in fear for your well-being.
If you find it difficult to tell someone in person and dread confronting their reaction, you could send a link for our “how to help someone who feels suicidal” section to someone you trust. This can be an effective way to start a conversation. It may also provide suggestions for how they can assist you.
A link to this section can be found below:
You can also write down your feelings on paper, in a text, or in an email if saying them out loud is too difficult.
For more great tips you may consider checking out Minds’ page on talking to friends and family which can be found HERE.
I’m not sure that I want to talk to somebody I already know
You might find it beneficial to join a support group designed for individuals experiencing the same challenges as you. Peer support connects people who understand your situation and have gone through similar experiences. In these groups, members can share their stories, offer support, and exchange helpful coping strategies.
Peer support can take place either in person or online. You may prefer online support if you feel uncomfortable discussing your feelings face-to-face. It provides a safe environment where you can belong, be heard, share your experiences, and express yourself without the fear of judgment that often holds us back.
Please take a look at some of the website below for help finding a peer support group that suits you.
I’m not sure I’m ready to talk to someone about this
Maybe you don’t want to talk about what you’re going through and find it too difficult to speak to anyone at the moment. Perhaps you just feel terribly alone and isolated. Reaching out and even just spending time around other people and developing social connections can be hugely beneficial and can help to keep you safe, even if they aren’t aware of how you’re feeling.
There are many ways to do this. Some of the following can be excellent ways to spend fulfilling time with others:
- Volunteer: Helping others can be a rewarding experience that boosts your confidence and makes you feel appreciated. The Do it website is a great place to find volunteer opportunities.
- Go to the gym: You could attend just to work out and take advantage of the endorphins released from physical exercise or you can easily make casual connections with your other gym goers, helping you to feel less alone.
- Join a sports team or game: Team sports are a great way to build relationships and enjoy time with others. There is a natural camaraderie in sports that arises from working together as a team to achieve a common goal.
- Join a group or class: You can consider joining a group focused on a hobby you enjoy or a class where you can learn something new. There’s no pressure to speak to everyone right away or engage deeply with others immediately. However, being around people regularly and sharing an interest can help you build connections over time.
Have you thought about attending our pets as therapy meet and greet?
This monthly meet-up service has been developed by our health and wellbeing coaches in conjunction with the Pets as Therapy organisation and is a great opportunity to be around other people whilst receiving love and attention from a selection of therapy pets.
More information about this service can be found HERE.
Focus on getting through the next 5 minutes, and avoid making a decision today
Taking things minute by minute can help make things more bearable. Try and focus on getting through the current moment rather than thinking too far into the future. Once you’ve managed this you can move on to planning the next 10 minutes then the next half hour. Plan small steps to get you through the day.
You don’t need to act on your thoughts right now. If possible, make a promise to yourself that you won’t act on your thoughts today. You may have experienced these thoughts before, but today you might feel less able to cope. Remember, you may find that you are better able to handle things in a few days.
Recognise that what you’re feeling is temporary
The way you are feeling right now is a response to the situation you're in and the challenges you've been facing - this won't be a permanent situation and things can get better.
Reach out for help
Letting someone know how you're feeling is the first step to changing the situation. connect with someone you trust or reach out to one of the support services above.
Download the free Stay Alive app
This App can help you create a safety plan focusing on the positives of life and provides more tips to help you cope.
Download HERE.
Keep Yourself Safe
If you feel unsafe, remove any objects you might use to harm yourself or ask someone to help. If you're in a dangerous place, try to move to safety.
Follow your safety plan
If you have a safety plan or crisis plan in place, make sure to follow it. These plans are helpful for gathering ideas to support yourself when you’re not feeling well. If you haven’t created one yet, consider doing so.
More information on creating a safety plan can be found further down this page.
If you're thinking of harming yourself, you could try using techniques for coping with self-harm. There are some great tips for doing this on the MIND website which can be found HERE.
Calm your body and mind
Staying calm and centred can greatly assist in coping with suicidal thoughts. When we are stressed or unhappy, we tend to make poor decisions. However, when we are relaxed, we can think things through more clearly and appreciate the good things that we have around us.
When things are feeling particularly bad the following tips may help you to calm yourself:
- Focus on your senses: Taking a moment to reflect on what you can smell, taste, touch, hear, and see can help ground your thoughts and can help you to feel more connected to your body.
- Steady your breathing: Take long, deep breaths. Follow the air in and out of your body. Sometimes it can even help to pause and count out a few seconds between each inhale and exhale.
- Deliberately refocus attention: Change your position or stop moving. Focus deliberately on something around you and ask yourself questions about it. For example, you could look at your sofa and contemplate what it would look like in a different colour.
The Mind website has some great practical ideas to help you relax and calm yourself.
Take care of yourself
Managing suicidal thoughts can be more challenging when we are not feeling well physically or our overall well-being is low. Physical health problems can also intensify these feelings. Even though you may not feel like it, this is the time when you need care and kindness the most. It's important to take care of yourself and address your physical needs. You deserve to prioritize your own well-being.
Make sure you’re getting the rest and sleep you need. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, sleep may seem like the last thing on your mind, but it’s likely what you need most. Establish a bedtime routine that works for you and try to avoid things that can interfere with your sleep, such as alcohol, drugs, caffeine, or using your mobile device. If you have trouble falling asleep, consider reading or listening to music as alternatives.
Our PCN also offers access to the Sleepstation service, which you can find out more about HERE.
Make sure that you’re eating properly. Lack of nutrients can make you feel sluggish and low in mood at the best of times, but even more so when you’re already down. Help with healthy eating can be found on our website via the link below.
Keep up with hygiene and personal care. While it may seem trivial, paying attention to your appearance and maintaining good personal hygiene can significantly boost your mood. Taking the time to groom yourself—whether it's showering, styling your hair, or wearing clean clothes—can create a sense of comfort and confidence. These small yet impactful habits not only improve how you feel about yourself but can also positively influence your interactions with others, leading to a more uplifting overall experience throughout your day.
Distract yourself and focus on things that you enjoy
You might feel it is impossible not to focus on your suicidal thoughts or why you feel that way. If you focus on your thoughts, it might make them feel stronger and harder to cope with.
Try and do something that takes your mind off the suicidal thoughts or channels your thoughts in a different way. This could involve spending time with someone in your life, a pet, or engaging in a hobby or activity that brings you happiness. Remember that you have good things in your life worth sticking around for.
You could try to:
- Spend time in the company of someone that makes you happy: This could be a friend, a family member or even a pet.
- Watch a film or TV show: If you're having trouble concentrating, consider watching something shorter, like a music video.
- Read a book or online article: Try and find something light-hearted and avoid things that might bring your mood down more.
- Do something creative: Whether this is drawing, painting, writing or playing a musical instrument, allowing your creative juices to flow can help you express yourself in a safe way and can be a good outlet for the way you’re feeling.
- Play a game or do a puzzle: This is especially helpful when played with others.
- Engage in a hobby or activity that brings you happiness: This could be baking, knitting, sports, learning a new language or musical instrument or any other activity that engages your attention that you enjoy.
- Listen to music: Upbeat music can be particularly helpful, along with anything soothing. Consider creating a playlist of songs that make you feel happy.
- Use stress or fidget toys.
- Go for a walk to focus on things around you: Whether you're in a city or the countryside, there's always activity around you. Take a moment to notice the sounds, smells, and sights. Try counting how many green things you see or imagine where the person across the street is headed. Even simple thoughts about your surroundings can help centre your focus.
- Physical Activity: Run, dance, cycle, do whatever suits you best that gets you moving. Not only will it be physically good for you the mental benefits of getting up and doing something can be invigorating.
Discover the things that bring you joy and keep them close! When your thoughts start to feel overwhelming, it can be tough to break free from that spiral. If you have positive distractions in your life, make a point to enjoy them regularly. Taking a short break from those heavy thoughts, even for just a moment, can really help lighten the load. Remember, even the simplest activities can offer a welcome distraction when you need it most!
Find things to look forward to
You might consider planning a day out or organizing an activity you enjoy for the near future. This could involve cooking your favorite meal or meeting up with a friend. Perhaps you're looking forward to a new season of a TV show you like or the release of an upcoming movie. Remember, your plans don't have to be large or expensive to be enjoyable.
Learn ways to manage difficult feelings
Finding ways to cope with difficult emotions can be helpful. Take each day as it comes, recognizing that there will be both good and bad days. Focus on setting small, achievable goals.
Identify what helps you when you're overwhelmed, such as listening to music, dimming lights, or going to a comforting place. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, as suppressing them can make them harder to manage.
Learn to recognise your triggers—situations or comments that worsen your feelings. Keeping a diary or journal can help you identify these triggers more clearly.
Make a happy box
Create a box filled with memories and items that can provide distraction, comfort, and support to help lift your mood when you're experiencing suicidal thoughts. This is often referred to as a "hope box." The contents can include anything that is meaningful and helpful to you.
Create a hope box filled with cherished memories and items that can offer you distraction, comfort, and encouragement during difficult times, especially when you experience suicidal thoughts. This box can serve as a personal sanctuary, containing a variety of meaningful objects tailored to uplift your spirits. The goal is to curate a selection of items that remind you of love, resilience, and hope, providing you with a sense of connection and support whenever you need it.
For example:
- A favourite book
- Positive or inspirational quotes that resonate with you. Or even just memes that make you laugh.
- Photographs of loved ones, joyful moments, holiday snaps that bring back happy memories or even a place that you haven’t gone to yet and would like to visit.
- Letters from loved ones offering care and encouragement. In this digital age, this could even be conversation snippets from Facebook posts that friends or family have sent to you.
- Poems that give you hope or inspiration
- Notes to yourself, reminding yourself about the good things in your life and that you can do this.
- Small tokens or mementos from special experiences
- A cuddly toy or soft blanket
- Sensory objects like stress balls or calming scents or a perfume that’s important to you.
- A collection of your favourite songs on a playlist
You can create a virtual happy box right on your computer or phone! It can be filled with all the things that lift your spirits. Think about adding self-care apps, fun photos, playlists, or videos that make you laugh.
You might consider putting together a safety playlist. You can fill it with songs that not only make you feel happier but also give you a sense of safety and strength. It’s a fantastic way to give yourself a little mood boost or distraction whenever you need it!
Practise being kind to yourself
Being kind to yourself can improve your self-esteem and how you feel about yourself. When you treat yourself with care and understanding, you help create a positive view of yourself. This self-kindness allows you to recognise your strengths and accept your flaws. Overall, it leads to a healthier and happier relationship with yourself.
- Write a letter or note to yourself, highlighting happy memories, the people who care about you and the positive things they've said about you in the past. It can be a helpful reminder of the positives during tough times.
- Remind yourself that you can overcome this. Tell yourself that you will get through how you feel right now. This can help you regain hope and focus on moving forward. Believing in yourself is essential.
- Remind yourself that you deserve support and there are people who can help, even if it's been difficult to get support in the past.
- Avoid blaming yourself. If you've attempted suicide or considered it, you may feel guilt afterward. But remember, you cannot help how you feel and you are entitled to your own emotions.
- Make time for yourself regularly. Engage in activities that you enjoy, whether it's a hobby, going to the cinema, or visiting a favourite café. It's perfectly okay to prioritise your own needs sometimes.
- Celebrate yourself. Write down your achievements and the qualities you appreciate about yourself, no matter how small. This could include a skill you have learned or an action you take to help others.
- Challenge negative thoughts about yourself. When you find yourself putting yourself down, stop and ask, "Would I talk to a friend like this?" Remember, you deserve kindness and compassion."
Be aware of your triggers
Triggers are things that may cause you to feel worse. Triggers vary from person to person. You might find that certain music, photos, or films impact your mood negatively. It's best to avoid these.
A Safety Plan (sometimes called a crisis plan or advanced statement) is a proactive way to determine what can help keep you safe when you're experiencing thoughts of suicide. It is specifically designed to help you plan ahead, identify self-help strategies, and develop positive coping mechanisms for stress and emotional distress.
The Safety Plan also helps you pinpoint individuals who can support you in a crisis, activities that can distract or calm you, and any goals or aspirations you have for your future. Additionally, it's a useful tool for compiling important information, helplines, and services you prefer into one easily accessible location. If you or someone you care about frequently experiences depression with suicidal tendencies, having a Safety Plan in place is wise.
Safety Plans can be life-saving, especially when heightened emotions make it difficult to think clearly. They provide a structured way to keep yourself safe during overwhelming moments.
It's important to develop your Safety Plan when you're not feeling overwhelmed by distressing thoughts. Consider working on it with someone you trust, such as a friend or therapist. You might also want to give them a copy to keep for support.
Creating a Safety Plan can take time, and it's okay if you feel overwhelmed or unsure about what to write. It may be helpful to complete it in stages. Once finished, you could keep a copy on your phone for easy access whenever you need it.
If you have one or more trusted individuals who can assist you during a crisis, or when your thoughts become overwhelming to the point of potentially taking action on them, it would be beneficial to provide them with a copy of your crisis plan. This way, they can better support you if such a situation arises.
Here a few websites that can help you create your safety plan. From providing guides and video tutorials to online templates to guide you through the process:
Each plan is personal for the person it’s designed for and can be as simple or as detailed as you need it to be. But it may include:
- How to recognise your warning signs: You might consider any changes in your thoughts, feelings, or behaviour that you noticed before feeling suicidal.
- Coping strategies and distraction: You may have found certain strategies helpful for coping with difficult feelings in the past. Consider how you can use these strategies to support yourself when you need them.
- The names and contact details of people you trust: These are people you can ask for help if you're feeling distressed and the thoughts of suicide become too overwhelming to cope with alone.
- The names and contact details of professionals who can support you: Your local crisis team or therapist if you have one privately.
- Distraction techniques: music, books, films, company, whatever works best for you as an individual. You can find some ideas of distraction techniques HERE.
- What to do in the event of a crisis escalating beyond your or their control: This will inform others if you agree to be taken to the hospital if necessary. It can be useful if they are aware of this information before a crisis develops.
- Details of helplines and listening services: These services can assist you when you're feeling overwhelmed. Trained professionals can listen to your feelings and provide support for as long as you need.
- What you can do to make your environment safe: For example, removing things you could use to harm yourself.
- Details of a safe place you can go for support: This could be the home of a friend, family member, or someone else you trust.
- How other people can support you: For example, consider what specific assistance you might need or identify aspects that you feel are unhelpful. This is also an important time to discuss confidentiality. Reach an agreement on what information can be shared and what should remain private among those involved during a crisis.
If you feel unable to keep yourself safe and are at immediate risk of attempting suicide or have already harmed yourself (overdosing on pills for example) then please do one of the following:
- Call 999 In this situation, calling an ambulance is the right action to take – not a waste of emergency services time as some people fear. If someone is having a heart attack the outcome could be death – just the same as if someone has tried, or is about to try, to take their own life.
- Call the NHS Universal Crisis Line on 111 and select the mental health option 2
- Go Directly to A&E or have somebody else take you
- Contact a trusted friend or family member to come and help support you
It may also be helpful to remove things that you might use to harm yourself, particularly if you have been planning to use them. It’s also important avoid alcohol and drugs as much as possible.