what to do when someone says they are going to kill themselves

Alessandro Di Noia / Getty Images

One of the most frightening experiences a person tin accept is hearing a friend or loved one say they want to dice. While information technology can be tempting to cope with this data by labeling it as attending-seeking behavior or clinging to the myth that people who talk most suicide don't actually follow through (which is only untrue), it's of import to take all warning signs of suicide and suicidal ideation seriously.

If the Risk of Suicide Is Imminent

If your friend is at adventure of attempting suicide right now, phone call your local police department or 911 right away. Imminent danger includes situations where the person is in possession of a weapon, pills, or other means to follow through with suicide.

If possible, don't go out them lonely and do your best to remove whatsoever items they can use to hurt themselves. If information technology is safe, yous may also bulldoze your friend to the emergency room. Doctors will assess their mental and concrete wellness and create a clear plan that will help proceed them safe.

If, on the other hand, you believe the threat is serious, merely non imminent, it's yet of import to human activity, but you may take the time to show back up, listen, and encourage them to seek professional help. Help is available. Hither are some helpful tips from various suicide prevention resources.

Confirming Suicidal Thoughts

Don't exist afraid to enquire, "Are you having thoughts of suicide?" Studies bear witness that asking at-risk friends and family unit members if they are thinking virtually suicide does not increase suicidal thoughts. You are not putting ideas in their head past asking. On the contrary, asking volition requite you valuable information about how to proceed and help.

Get the Facts

If the answer is yes, follow upwards with these three questions:

• Have you lot thought almost how yous would practise it?
• Practise you have what you lot need to carry out your plan?
• Do you know when yous will do it?

Fortunately, the majority of people volition either say that they have no definite plans or that they don't accept the nerve to do it themselves. Although this is still a serious situation, if their answers indicate that they don't take a plan, they are probably not in imminent danger of hurting themselves. Take their words as a plea for help and continue with helping them to get the assistance that they demand. Urge them to seek professional assist every bit soon as possible.

If the answers they give you lead yous to believe they are in immediate danger, don't hesitate to contact the government.

You may feel like you will lose their friendship if you take activity. Your friend may even tell you that y'all are betraying them or making them angry. Just recollect that you may permanently lose their friendship if y'all don't. When they're well again, they will thank yous.

Showing Back up

There are a number of different things you lot can exercise to exist a supportive and empathetic friend. The central is to avoid being judgmental or dismissive of what your friend is feeling.

Speak From the Heart

There are no right or wrong things you tin can say if you lot are speaking out of love and concern. Only be yourself. Evidence that y'all care past talking to them, holding them while they cry, or whatever else is necessary. Research has shown that acknowledging what people are experiencing may aid them process their thoughts and may reduce their suicidal thoughts.

Listen

A suicidal person usually is conveying around some burden that they feel they just can't handle anymore. Offer to listen as they share their feelings of despair, anger, and loneliness. Sometimes this is enough to lighten the load simply enough for them to carry on.

Validate & Bear witness Openness

Exist sympathetic, non-judgmental, patient, calm, and accepting. The person will pick up on your attitude and begin to mirror it for themselves.

Continue Them Talking

Talking will allow them to reduce the emotional burden they are carrying and requite them time to at-home down. The longer you keep them talking, the more you can take the edge off their desperation. Equally their momentum winds downwards, it's harder for them to act on their feelings.

Avoid Trying to Solve the Problem

Try not to offering quick solutions or belittle the person's feelings. How large they perceive the problem to be and how much they are pain over information technology is what counts. Rational arguments practise little good to persuade a person when they are in this state of mind. Instead, offer your empathy and pity for what they are feeling without making whatever judgments nearly whether they should experience that way.

Take Care of Yourself

Dealing with a suicide threat is very stressful. Exist sure to care for yourself as well and seek assist to process and decompress later. Talk to a trusted friend, a therapist, your doctor, a religious leader, or anyone who can offer back up for what you've been through and how you lot feel near it.

Seeking Emergency Help

If the person has already started a suicide attempt, phone call for aid immediately. If they are yet witting, get what information you tin nigh whatever substances they have ingested, how long ago they took them, how much they took, when they last ate, and their general state of wellness.

If you are in a state of affairs, such every bit an online friendship, where y'all know very little about the person, encourage them to call 911 on their own or to call a suicide hotline in their expanse. This is your all-time pick, considering a local agency, such as 911 or a hotline, may be able to trace the call and go aid to them.

If they turn down to phone call, practise your best to learn whatsoever personal information you tin can about the person. Don't hesitate to inquire them for their address, phone number, and other information to help dispatch an emergency coiffure to their home.

A Discussion From Verywell

Supporting a friend or loved one experiencing suicidal thoughts can be scary and taxing. Do your all-time to provide support and become help. If, in spite of your attempts to help, your loved one however attempts or completes suicide, don't blame yourself. Remind yourself that you did the best y'all could with the information you had and seek help for yourself such equally grief counseling or joining suicide survivor support groups.

Thanks for your feedback!

Cheers, {{form.email}}, for signing up.

In that location was an mistake. Please effort again.

Verywell Listen uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to back up the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and go on our content authentic, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Mathias CW, Furr RM, Sheftall AH, Hill-Kapturczak Northward, Crum P, Dougherty DM. What'southward the damage in asking most suicidal ideation?. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2012;42(3):341-51. doi:10.1111/j.1943-278X.2012.0095.x

2. Suicide Prevention. National Institute of Mental Health.

3. Gould MS, Marrocco FA, Kleinman Grand, et al. Evaluating iatrogenic risk of youth suicide screening programs: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2005;293(13):1635-43. doi:10.1001/jama.293.thirteen.1635

castrohativered.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-to-do-when-a-friend-is-suicidal-1065472

Share this post