Suicide is the act of taking one’s own life. People think about suicide for many different reasons. Things like a person’s mood, what has happened in the past (or what’s happening right now), someone’s ability to cope with things or how supported and connected they feel are all contributing factors to suicidal thoughts.

Young people who consider taking their own life often feel they are alone in the world, that things are hopeless and that they don’t belong. People who consider suicide are often exhausted by their distress and are unable to clearly think of alternative ways to deal with their suffering. They are often unable to eat, sleep or enjoy any part of their lives.

Very stressful experiences like breaking up with your partner, failing a very important exam, feeling you have no friends, grief after the death of someone close, or losing your job may increase feelings of hopelessness and suicide.

Who is most likely to experience suicidal thoughts?

Individuals who suffer from mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and substance abuse are more likely to think about suicide.

There are many reasons for mental health disorders:

• Biological factors like genetics and hormonal imbalances
• Social factors like trauma or abuse
• Societal factors like discrimination and poverty 

Are there any warning signs that a person is suicidal?

Often the answer is yes. People who are experiencing suicidal thoughts may say or do things that can help you to understand how they may be feeling. These acts are known as warning signs.

Signs could be found in the words they use, such as “No one cares about me anymore,” or “They’d be better off without me.” Signs could also be a change in their behaviour, for example they may no longer want to hang around you anymore or they may stop doing things that they previously enjoyed.

Warning signs could also be a change in their moods – they may be increasingly sad, desperate or hopeless. Most of the time, people will show multiple warning signs, so if you notice any of these changes and you feel able to, ask the person how they feel, find out what’s going on and whether they feel suicidal.

You can see examples of other warning signs here.

What to do if you think a friend is suicidal:

It can be really difficult to work out what to do if you think a friend is having suicidal thoughts. Thankfully, there are some proven ways of helping people with suicidal thoughts. 

• It is important to reach out if you are worrying, talking to them in person,  sending them a message or calling, can be a good ways to start a conversation. 
• If you are concerned it is good to be direct: “I am worried about you, are you thinking about suicide”. 
• Listen to them without judgement or trying to fix them. A listening ear is incredibly helpful.
• Help them to create a plan for how to reach out for support
  • this can involve connecting them to services like Lifeline and Kid’s Helpline 
  • This also means identifying who there is around them that they can go to for support – a trusted adult, school counsellor, or psychologist are great examples. 
• Importantly, don’t carry this on your own, lean on a trust adult for support and if you think they are in danger call 000

To find out more you can watch this video:

For more helpful tips, head to ReachOut and Beyond Blue.

What to do if you feel suicidal

Having suicidal thoughts can be very frightening. You may never have experienced them before or they may have been around for a while and you just don’t know what to do about them. You might feel worried that if you tell someone they might not take you seriously, or you might feel embarrassed to talk about how you are feeling.

Remember thoughts of suicide are just thoughts, and a lot people don’t act on them. They may only last a few minutes, so tell yourself you may feel differently in a few hours. These thoughts are called suicidal ideation, to learn more you can watch this video.

The first thing you need to do if you are having suicidal thoughts is let someone know – work out who you might feel most comfortable talking with – this might be a trusted friend, someone in your family, doctor or one of your teachers. You should also create a safety plan and get to know what self-care looks like for you. Create a safety plan here via Beyond Blue. 

If you would prefer talking with someone you don’t know, call Lifeline (13 11 14) and Kid’s Helpline are there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – they are free and completely confidential. You’ll be talking with a trained counsellor, who helps all kinds of people through issues like this all the time.

We recommend heading to Beyond Blue and headspace for some really helpful advice on dealing with suicidal thoughts. 

Where to get help

• Talk to someone from your school: At your school there will be staff who help students deal with issues like these all the time. Sometimes they’re called Wellbeing Officer, Student Welfare Officer, Pastoral Care Teacher or the Student Counsellor. If you’re not sure who this teacher might be at your school, chat to the staff in the main office or ask a teacher you like and trust. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction.

• Talk to your doctor: Doctors also help people with issues like self harm all the time. If you do not have a trusted adult to turn to, check out this post about going to the doctor on your own. They will get you in touch with a mental health professional.

• Get in touch with professionals: Youth Beyond Blue, headspace and  Reach Out have trained counsellors available to talk you through your situation and help you work out strategies to deal with it.

• Kid’s Helpline (1800 55 1800) is actually pretty awesome too – you can talk to a counsellor for free, at any time and it’s completely private.
• Lifeline is there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – it is free and completely confidential.
• If it is an emergency, don’t hesitate to call 000.