Having suicidal thoughts
Feeling suicidal? You are not alone … every year many Australians experience suicidal thoughts. But help is available.
Feeling suicidal? You are not alone … every year approximately 400,000 Australians experience suicidal thoughts1, 62,000 make suicide attempts2, 35,000 are admitted to hospital for suicide-related injuries3 and over 3,000 die from suicide4. But help is available.
Reasons for suicide
The reasons why people think about suicide are varied and personal. Often, it is because of a combination of factors related to their feelings or thoughts, or they may have recently experienced a ‘triggering’ event. People thinking about suicide may feel:
1 Blackdog Institute (2014) 2 ABS — National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (2008) 3 Blackdog Institute (2014) 4 ABS - Cause of Deaths (2018)
Some ‘triggering’ events that may cause someone to consider suicide include:
Almost everyone who takes their own life gives some clue or warning. Never ignore talking about suicide. Take people’s suicidal thoughts and feelings very seriously and help them find effective help. If you suspect that someone may have suicidal thoughts, ask them. This will give them permission to talk about it. Asking about suicidal thinking does not precipitate suicidal action.
There are a number of warning signs that a person might be thinking about suicide. Some of these include:
For Crisis Support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via chat or text (available 24/7).
Get help — There are lots of services and people that can help and provide assistance:
In some situations a person might refuse help. In these cases, ensure the appropriate people are aware of the situation. Don’t shoulder the situation yourself. If they are unable to stay safe you may have to contact help against their wishes, but talk to them about this first if possible.
Are you having thoughts of suicide? It’s OK. We can talk about it. Thinking about suicide does not make you ‘bad’ or ‘weak’. There are people you can turn to for help.