Helping Someone Who's Thinking About Suicide: What to Know

What are the risk factors?

A person may be more likely to take their own life if:

• They have hurt themselves or tried to take their own life in the past.

• They have a mental health condition, such as depression.

• They feel very sad or alone.

• They use drugs or alcohol.

• They have easy access to things that can cause harm, such as:

  • Drugs.

  • Medicines.

  • Guns.

• They know or find out about a person who took their own life. This can include finding out about the death of someone who isn't a friend or family member, such as a famous person.

• They're going through or have gone through a lot of stress or trauma, such as:

  • Getting divorced.

  • Being bullied.

  • Being abused or neglected.

  • Having money problems.

  • Going to jail.

  • Losing someone or something important.

  • Having pain or being sick for a long time.

What are warning signs to watch for?

A person who's thinking about taking their own life might:

• Talk about wanting to die.

• Say they feel:

  • Hopeless.

  • Like they're a burden to others.

  • Trapped.

• Give away things they care about or need.

• Say goodbye to people.

• Act very sad, angry, or quiet, especially if it's a change in how they usually act.

• Use more drugs or alcohol than normal or more often than normal.

• Sleep too much or not at all.

• Do things that are very risky or without thinking.

Follow these instructions at home:

If you know someone who's at risk for hurting themselves or taking their own life, you can help by:

• Checking on them.

  • Call or text them. Let them know you care.

  • Try to talk with them about their thoughts and feelings.

  • Ask them if they're planning to hurt themselves. Ask what their plan is.

  • Ask how you can help support them.

• Listening to them.

  • Listen with love. Do not judge them.

  • Take them seriously.

  • Do not promise to keep thoughts of suicide a secret.

• Helping them find care.

  • Help them find a mental health expert or counselor.

• Helping them stay safe.

  • Learn about their safety or crisis plan. This is a list of things they can do to be safe, such as what to do if they feel suicidal.

  • If your loved one doesn't have a safety plan, help them make one. For help with writing it, go to mysafetyplan.org.

If your loved one is in danger of hurting themselves:

• Stay with them.

• Get help. You may need to call 988 or take them to the hospital.

Where to find support and more information:

To learn more, go to:

• The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at nimh.nih.gov.

  1. Click "Search" and type "suicide FAQ."

  2. Find the link you need.

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at samhsa.gov.

  1. Click "Search" and type "suicide prevention resources."

  2. Find the link you need.

• The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) at afsp.org/suicide-prevention-resources.

Get help right away if:

• You feel like your loved one may hurt themselves or others.

• Your loved one has talked about taking their own life.

• Your loved one shares other thoughts or feelings that worry you.

These symptoms may be an emergency. Take one of these steps right away:

• Go to your nearest emergency room.

• Call 911.

• Contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7, free and confidential):

  • Call or text 988.

  • Chat online at chat.988lifeline.org.

• For Veterans and their loved ones:

  • Call 988 and press 1.

  • Text the Veterans Crisis Line at 838255.

  • Chat online at veteranscrisisline.net.

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.

Document Revised: 10/09/2025 Document Reviewed: 10/09/2025

Elsevier Patient Education © 2025 Elsevier Inc.