If you have already harmed yourself, taken a dangerous amount of medication or another substance, intend to act now, or fear that you cannot stop yourself, contact local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a chat reply or a routine appointment. Ask someone you trust to stay with you and help you contact medical services. Do not stay alone when you are in immediate danger.
Suicidal thoughts can feel frightening, shameful or like the only escape from pain. They do not make you weak or a bad person. During a crisis, it can be hard to imagine feeling differently. The immediate task is to get support and stay safe, rather than solve every problem in your life at once.
What to do in the next few minutes
- Tell someone clearly what is happening. For example: “I am having thoughts of suicide. It is not safe for me to be alone right now. Please stay with me and help me get support.” If speaking feels too difficult, write this down or show them the message.
- Move to where a safe person is available. This might be someone close to you, a neighbour or a member of medical staff. If the first person does not answer, contact someone else or emergency services.
- Reduce access to anything you could use to harm yourself. Move away from an unsafe place. Ask a trusted person to temporarily restrict access to dangerous items or substances, if this can be done safely. Do not try to manage this alone while the urge is strong.
- Avoid alcohol and other psychoactive substances. They can make it harder to control your actions. If you need to travel for help, ask someone to accompany you; do not drive while in crisis or intoxicated.
If you are unsure how dangerous the situation is, you do not need to prove that it is “serious enough” to deserve help. Tell a professional what thoughts you are having, whether you intend to act, whether dangerous means are accessible and whether you have already harmed yourself. Having no detailed plan does not, on its own, establish that you are safe.
If you have thoughts but no immediate intention to act
Passive thoughts such as “I wish I would not wake up” also deserve attention. Contact a doctor, mental health professional or available crisis service and explicitly mention the thoughts of death. When asking for an appointment, you can say: “I need help assessing my mental state and safety, not only a conversation about stress.”
Before the appointment, agree with someone close to you when you will check in and what to do if things get worse. Where possible, spend less time alone during the hours you find hardest. If an intention to act develops or you find it difficult to resist harming yourself, seek urgent help instead of waiting for your appointment.
How to talk to someone you are worried about
Ask calmly and directly: “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” Asking does not plant the idea; it makes room for someone to talk about something they may struggle to bring up. Listen without arguing that their life is good. You might say: “Thank you for telling me. I want to help you get through this.”
Ask whether they intend to act now and whether something has already happened that needs medical attention. Do not promise to keep an immediate danger secret. If there is an immediate risk, stay with them if it is safe and contact emergency services. If you are speaking remotely, find out where they are and help them reach local services or a trusted person nearby.
Do not try to wrestle a dangerous object away or put yourself at risk. Avoid shaming, accusations of selfishness or demands for a promise that this will never happen again. A loved one can provide support without having to act as an entire crisis team.
What a safety plan is
A safety plan is a short, practical guide for a future deterioration, ideally developed with a professional. It is different from promising to “pull yourself together”: it records actions and contacts to use when thinking clearly becomes difficult.
- Your own warning signs, such as growing hopelessness, isolation or a sleepless night.
- Accessible ways to get through a surge of distress without harming yourself.
- People and safe places that offer contact and support.
- Contact details for professionals, crisis services and emergency services where you are.
- Agreements about reducing access to dangerous means.
Keep the plan somewhere easy to find. Check that the numbers are current and that the people you have chosen are actually available. If the plan is not helping you stay safe, seek urgent professional help. One step failing does not mean that help cannot work.
What happens after the immediate crisis
Feeling some relief does not remove the need for follow-up support. A professional will explore what is increasing your distress, your mental and physical health, substance use, living conditions and available support. Care may involve psychotherapy, treatment for a coexisting condition and practical help. Medication decisions should be made with a doctor.
Before the next difficult moment, find out when your next contact will be, whom you can contact between appointments and where to go if things worsen again. If the help you received was unsuitable or dismissive, you can approach another professional. A teenager should tell a safe adult; if home is unsafe, this could be a doctor, school professional or child protection service.
Where to find help
Emergency numbers and crisis services depend on the country you are currently in, not the language of this website. See the urgent help page for guidance. This article and the psychologist directory are not a round-the-clock crisis service.
Read about getting support after self-harm and recognising depression and seeking help.