What to do if you’re feeling suicidal
Research shows that the most effective way of getting through suicidal thoughts safely is to distract yourself and remove anything you could use to end your life.
Reminding yourself of your reasons to live can also be helpful.
If you're feeling suicidal we strongly encourage you to get support as soon as possible. Support can help to keep you safe and feel better.
Skip to the support section on this page: Get support.
Distract yourself from suicidal thoughts
Doing things to distract yourself from suicidal thoughts can help keep you safe. Find what works best for you. Distractions which have worked well for others include:
- going to places where you can be around other people
- exercising
- listening to music or podcasts
- taking a refreshing shower
- watching something you like (such as a film, YouTube video or TV)
- walking outside
- games and puzzles
- being creative (for example, writing, painting or making things)
- keeping busy (for example, cleaning or grocery shopping).
Make your surroundings safe
It's important to make your space as safe as you can. Get rid of stuff that could be used to end your life.
This could include:
- lock up or get rid of anything you could use to harm yourself
- give your medication and car keys to someone else to look after.
Remind yourself of your reasons to live
When you're feeling suicidal, it's easy to forget about the good things in life. Thinking about these things can help you manage until the feelings pass.
Write down things that make you want to live - big or small. These might include:
- special people and pets in your life
- things that give you joy in the present (such as sights, sounds, tastes and places)
- things you'd like to do or places you'd like to go in the future
- big and small things to look forward to (such as new games, books or movies)
- helping others, like your friends, family, community or mob.