If you are concerned about someone's safety right now, read our
What to do in an Emergency page.
How can I help a person who feels suicidal?
Learning that someone you care about feels suicidal often marks the beginning of a stressful time.
This news could come as a shock to you. There might be part of you that doesn't want to know any more about it or deal with it. You might be unsure of what to say and/or worried that what you say will make things worse. It might touch on your own beliefs about life and death.
You might also experience many different feelings in response to this news, such as panic, fear, frustration, anger, resentment, helplessness, hopelessness and distress.
All are understandable reactions to a serious situation and indicators of a need to look after your own wellbeing too during this crisis (See Looking after yourself). However, it is important not to let these feelings and reactions get in the way of talking openly with the person you are concerned about, so that you can begin to understand their pain and estimate their risk of attempting suicide. If you appear calm and confident in your approach to the suicidal crisis, this can be very reassuring for a person who is feeling suicidal.
The suicidal crisis – a mental/psychological injury?
An analogy that people sometimes find helpful in trying to understand a suicidal crisis is to imagine that it is like an emotional or psychological injury for the person. Whilst the situation is not necessarily as simple or straightforward as this, it might help you to roughly understand what the person is going through.
The role that you as a support person play initially is therefore similar to performing First Aid. That is, you assist the suicidal person to 'stop the emotional bleeding' and support the suicidal person to access professional mental health supports. (See our Services Directory)
You wouldn't take on the responsibility of fixing your partner's/relative's/friend's broken limb or treating their heart attack – you would support the person to get the assistance of a professional such as a doctor or surgeon.
In the same way, it is best for you to encourage the person you are concerned about to seek the assistance of mental health professionals, such as a doctor or psychologist.
This does not mean that you won't have an important role to play in the long term for the person you are concerned about. They will continue to greatly benefit from your care and support and ability to offer them a 'listening ear' when needed along the way.