Choose a time and place where you can talk openly and easily, without getting interrupted. It’s important that you don’t have to be anywhere or have other commitments - it might take a long time to have this conversation and your friend or loved one needs to feel that you have time to listen.
Ideally, your friend or loved one needs to be calm to be able to have this conversation.
You also need to be calm to be able to have this conversation. Make sure the time is right for you too.
Some suggestions for locations:
- At their place – it’s easier to talk to someone when they are comfortable in their own environment.
- Doing something you enjoy together – sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone when you’re doing something like watching bad TV, cooking dinner or playing cards or video games.
- Go for a walk – you could wander up to a coffee shop, go for a walk in the park or along a beach or river. Even a walk around block.
- Go for a drive – talking side-by-side is a great tactic, it can take some of the intensity out of a face-to-face conversation.
What if we’re online?
If someone posts a comment on a social media page or an online forum that makes it sound like they’re thinking about suicide, contact them directly, send them a private message. It’s still okay to talk online, just not in a public forum.
#YouCanTalk
If you feel worried about someone asking whether they are thinking about suicide won’t ‘put ideas in their head’. Your friend or loved one will probably feel relieved at being heard and understood.