If you have already injured yourself in an attempt at suicide, please phone 999 (or your country phone number for the emergency services) before you do anything else, and then follow this link, print off the page, fill it in (if you can) and take it with you to hospital.  If you have more time you may prefer to download this form if you have Microsoft Word.

I'd just like to start off by saying that if you are feeling suicidal now, please give me 5 minutes to talk to you.  Please do something for me?  If you are suicidal then please visit this link first.  It will only take 5 minutes to read and it really does help.

If you are in the UK or Ireland you can also call the Samaritans on

08457 90 90 90 if you are in the UK

or

1850 60 90 90 if you are in the Republic of Ireland.

Or if you have a text phone you can reach them on:

08457 90 91 92 if you are in the UK

or

1850 60 90 91 if you are in the Republic of Ireland.

If you prefer, you can e-mail them at jo@samaritans.org

If you're outside the UK and you need to talk to someone, visit this page to find a helpline number for your Country.

If you've lost someone through suicide and you're in the UK then give Survivors of Bereavement By Suicide a call on 0870 241 3337 - I don't know what they're like but if you phone them can you let me know what you think please?

Warning Signs

Some of the warning signs of someone who may be suicidal are below.  If you have any others that I could add to the list please let me know.

• Withdrawal from friends and family

• No desire to go out

• Inability to concentrate or think clearly

• Change in eating or sleeping habits

• Major changes in appearance

• Talk about feeling hopeless

• Feeling guilty

• Talk about suicide

• Talk about death

• Talk about "going away"

• Self destructive behaviour (be aware that this may not be a warning sign of suicide, instead it may be the persons form of self harm).  Examples of self destructive behaviours include:

  • Drinking alcohol excessively

  • Taking drugs

  • Driving too fast

  • Not looking as they cross roads

• No desire to take part in favourite things or activities

• Giving away favourite possessions

• Suddenly very happy or cheerful moods after being depressed for a long time (although this may not be a warning sign of suicide - it may be a depressive disorder - try to get them to talk to their doctor about these feelings)

• They become sad, withdrawn, tired, apathetic, anxious, irritable or prone to feeing very angry

• They do less well at work or School/College - grades or work related performance declines

• Neglect themselves - allow their welfare and appearance to decline

• Start eating and/or sleeping a lot or very little

• Deliberately disobeying medical advice

• Made previous serious or "practice/mini" attempts

• Saying to someone that they are suicidal or want to die/kill themselves

• Making plans for their suicide or funeral

• Making a Will or giving away their favourite things

How a suicidal person may be feeling

• Overwhelming pain (emotional and/or physical) that is beyond their coping threshold

• Hopelessness - things can only get worse

• Powerless - there's nothing more they can do... they've tried everything

• Worthlessness

• Shame

• Guilt

• Fear of losing control of themselves and the situation

• Self hatred

• Feeling that no-one cares

Things that *may* have made them suicidal

• Death of a close friend or relative

• Someone close to them being diagnosed with a terminal illness

• Divorce or separation (either they from their partner or of a close relative)

• Family problems which are causing tension within the family

• Decline in their health

• Loss of a job

• Loss of their house

• Debt

• Loss of Family

• Drug abuse

• Alcohol abuse

• Depression

• Memories of their past

• Going through a difficult period - anniversaries of losses etc

• Just before and just after the diagnosis of a major illness

• Uncertainty about themselves and or/the future

How to help someone who is suicidal

Do

• Listen - Let them say whatever they want to say without interruption

• Allow them to explore their feelings

• Be sympathetic

• Remain calm and be patient with them

• Give them time - let them find the words in their own time, don't try and give them words for their feelings unless they ask

• Be yourself - there are no right or wrong words (although the lists on the support page may help). 

• Take them and the situation seriously

• Remember that sometimes suicidal feelings and behaviour is a cry for help

• Try and get them professional help as soon as possible

• Try and get them to accept professional help

• Let them know that they aren't alone and they can recover from feeling like this

• Get them urgent medical help if they have already started making the attempt on their life.  Get their permission to call the emergency services and try and find out as much information about the situation they are currently in as possible... what have they taken, how much, when.  Or if they have used some other method find out as much as possible about that... how deep is the cut, how much is it bleeding, how fast, how long for, is it spurting etc.

Don't

• Don't judge them - accept them for who they are, how they are feeling, and what they say

• Don't be afraid to talk about their plans - it won't make them more suicidal, it will help them to know that you are interested and want to help

• Don't put a time limit on how long they can talk for - let them talk for as long as they need to

• Argue with them

• Try to solve all their problems for them

• Give advice unless they ask for it

• Make them feel that they have to justify their feelings

• Break any of their confidences to you - they have trusted you to be there for them when they are extremely vulnerable so don't break that trust.

• Leave them alone if they are actively suicidal

If you would like to know more then you may find the links below helpful.  I haven't visited them all so I don't know what the sites are like... please don't hold me responsible for anything you read on any of the sites - I've just linked to them, I haven't written them.  They will all open in a new window.

General

Suicide read this first
http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/

Suicide @ rochford.org
http://www.rochford.org/suicide/

Suicide Prevention
http://members.tripod.com/~suicideprevention/

http://www.metanoia.org/suicide   Contains conversations and writings for suicidal persons to read. If you're feeling at all suicidal, be sure to read this page before you take any action. It might just save your life.

Befrienders International - Find a crisis helpline phone number for your Country here

UK 

The Samaritans in the United Kingdom
http://www.samaritans.org.uk/

http://www.befrienders.org/email.html (A 24-Hour confidential e-mail service by the Samaritans)

USA/Canada/Worldwide

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
http://www.afsp.org/

http://kidshelp.sympatico.ca   A service for young people - also addresses issues other than suicide.

San Francisco Suicide Prevention (SFSP)
Services are provided 24 hours a day by over 250 trained volunteers. Basic information on suicide (warning signs, advice, statistics and more) is also featured.
http://www.sfsuicide.org/

Crisis Support Services of Alameda County, California
Services provided include 24-Hour Telephone Counseling, Grief Counseling, Stress Counseling, Community Education Program, Seniors Program.
http://www.crisissupport.org/index.htm

National Crisis Helpline - for use in locating the nearest crisis service in the United States - 1-800-999-9999

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