What Should I Do if I Think Someone I Know Is Suicidal?

If you don't know the person well:

• Don't be afraid to get involved.

• Find someone who knows the person well and express your concerns so that individual can ask the questions discussed below.

If you know the person fairly well:

• Ask a series of questions that build on one another to assess the person's state of mind about suicide:

  • "How are you feeling?"

  • "Are you feeling depressed?"

  • "Are you feeling hopeless?"

  • "Are you wondering if life is worth living?"

  • "Are you considering suicide?"

  • "Have you made a plan for how to do it?"

  • "Do you have a certain method that you're considering?"

• Don't leap right to asking, "Are you thinking about suicide?" Asking the ever-more-specific questions above will help you get a sense of whether the person is indeed considering taking his or her own life.

If you receive a series of "yes" answers to these questions, it's critical to help the person recognize the need for proper care.

• Encourage the person to talk about suicidal feelings; simply sharing suicidal thoughts with others greatly lowers (but doesn't remove) the risk that the person will go through with it. Part of what can lead to suicide is an intense feeling of being alone.

• Help the person share these thoughts with a doctor in order to begin treatment. It's important to keep the person safe until treatment is underway. If the person is resistant to this idea, call a suicide hotline (the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is [800] 273-8255) or 911, or take him or her to the emergency room.

Was this answer helpful?

Yes

No

Yes

No