How Do I Respond to Someone Who is Thinking of Suicide?

Assess any barriers to help and develop helping strategies to overcome them.

Listen carefully, reflective listening not reactive, and be curious. Ask questions gently about what, where, how, and when. Explore their feelings and take every complaint seriously. Assess how upset the person is and ask specific questions about plans for suicide. Don’t be mislead and leave the individual alone; make the environment as safe as possible.

When you know the facts about suicide YOU CAN SAVE LIVES!

ASK direct questions:“Are having thoughts of suicide?” “Do you wish you were dead?” “Have you had thoughts of killing yourself?” “Sometimes, with all this going on in a person’s life, they might have thoughts of giving up. Are you having thoughts of suicide?”

Don’t hesitate to raise the subject. Talking with people about suicide won’t put ideas into their heads. 

If you’ve observed any of the warning signs, chances are they’re already thinking about it!

Explore their PMT:

PLAN: “Have you thought about how you will do it?”

MEANS: “Have you thought about how you will do it, and do you have access to what you need?

TIME SET: “Have you thought about when you will do it, and when someone will find you?

Assess their level of risk:

Low Risk, Moderate Risk, High Risk?

Non-Lethal Means , No Plan, Safety Plan in place, No History Plan with resource, Family History, Past Attempts , Safety Plan in place.

Highly Lethal Plan, Method & Availability, History of Attempts, No Safety Plan.

RESPOND with kindness:

Empathize with their feelings. Empathy is being sensitive to the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another without the person directly communicating these feelings. 

Show empathy by asking, “Can you describe how you are feeling?” “How would you like me to help you?”

Take Action! Remove any means such as guns, stockpiled pills, ropes, etc.

“I am wondering, while we are talking, would you be willing to put the pills, alcohol, gun… in the next room and close the door?”

Stay with them until help and support is identified and, where possible, obtained.

ENCOURAGE the person to seek professional help.

What resources do they have in place? Friends, family, colleagues, a therapist?

Talk to someone about your experience, a counsellor will keep your confidentiality and validate your journey. Anxiety is a natural response to being with someone’s deep pain and it helps to debrief.

Connect with someone or something you love and revitalise your soul.