Being listed as a person to talk to in your friend or family member’s safety plan
If your friend or family member has sent you a copy of their plan or asked you to be a supporter, make sure you understand what’s expected of you.
Talk about what support you’ll provide
Start by sitting down together and talking through the type of support you might be able to provide.
Try and be clear about what you can offer, as well as understanding what they need from you.
Plan what you’ll do if they call
Your role might be to simply 'be there' for them. Focus on the social, enjoyable activities they’ve included in their plan without trying to force them to talk about what's going on. You might watch a movie, play sport, go for a walk, or just hang out.
Talking about suicidal feelings
If they decide to share their thoughts or feelings about suicide with you, that's okay too. Your role might be to listen, acknowledge their distress and just support them the way you know best.
You can also help by encouraging your friend or family member to use their safety plan if they start experiencing their warning signs or you notice changes in their behaviour.
There might be some things you're not comfortable talking about. If so, make sure you tell them that so they’re aware and can include other supporters in their plan.
Crisis support
Your friend or family member should have some professional support services listed in their plan. It's also helpful if you're aware of who can help during a crisis and at what point they should be called in.
If the person is seriously injured or at risk of harming themselves right now, call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.
For free, confidential 24/7 counselling call or chat online to: