If you are thinking about suicide or are not sure you can stay safe, seek support now. In the United States, call or text 988. If you have already seriously harmed yourself, taken an overdose or face immediate life-threatening danger, contact emergency services or go to an emergency department. Outside the US, contact your local crisis or emergency service.
You do not need to wait for a particular number of days, make a promise or explain everything perfectly before getting help. This page offers a few steps for connecting with support while you are in pain.
On this page
Tell someone what is happening
You can say, “I am having thoughts of suicide and I need help staying safe,” or send those words in a message if speaking feels difficult. Contact a trusted person, your care team or a crisis service. Ask someone safe to stay with you or help you connect with further support.
If the first person is unavailable or does not understand, try another person or contact a crisis service directly. You do not need to persuade someone that your distress is serious enough.
Ask for help staying safer
If you can, move to a safer place with someone you trust and ask for help reducing access to anything you might use to harm yourself. A crisis counsellor can help you consider what is practical in your circumstances.
Do not delay urgent medical care to try a coping exercise. If you have an injury, have taken something harmful or cannot stay safe, get emergency help now.
Focus on the next manageable action
You do not have to solve the rest of your life before accepting help. The next action might be making a call, opening a text conversation or asking someone to sit with you.
While connecting with support, a familiar calming activity may help you get through a moment. It is an addition to help, not a test you must pass or a substitute for urgent care. Avoid alcohol or non-prescribed drugs while you are in crisis.
Make a plan with support
When you have support, consider a safety plan with a clinician or crisis counsellor. It can identify warning signs, people to contact, safer surroundings and what to do if distress becomes more intense. Keep it somewhere you can reach when needed.
Follow-up care matters too. A health professional can discuss what you are experiencing and appropriate treatment or support. Tell them if an existing plan is not helping, rather than assuming that you have failed.
If you are supporting someone else
Ask directly whether they are thinking about suicide, listen without judging and help them connect with support. Avoid arguing, blaming them for other people’s feelings or promising to keep immediate danger secret.
The National Institute of Mental Health’s guidance explains practical ways to ask, stay present, support safety, connect with help and follow up. If there is immediate danger, contact emergency services.
In the US, you can also contact 988 about someone you are worried about. You do not have to manage a crisis alone.