⚠ Safety Notice
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. The Mental Health Hotline connects people with local mental health resources and is not a substitute for emergency services or appropriate for a suicide crisis.
You’re here because you’re wondering what to do if someone is suicidal. It’s a frightening situation, but with the right steps, you can help this person.
Recognizing the Warning Signs of Suicidal Ideation
First, it helps to understand whether the person is genuinely suicidal. Most likely, you already have a reason for these suspicions. Still, here are common warning signs that someone is experiencing suicidal ideation:
- Talking about dying and death
- Talking about feeling like a burden
- Expressing feelings of extreme shame or guilt
- Talking about feeling hopeless or trapped
- Experiencing unbearable pain, physical or mental
- Increasing alcohol or drug use
- Researching or planning ways to die by suicide
- Taking dangerous risks, such as driving recklessly
- Withdrawing from people
- Saying goodbyes
- Displaying extreme mood swings
- Eating much less or much more
- Sleeping much less or much more
- Giving away money and prized possessions
- Making arrangements, such as a will or funeral details
Another phenomenon, sometimes called “smiling depression,” is when someone with prolonged, severe depression suddenly seems joyful. This can happen when a person has decided to end their life and feels calm or even energized about the decision, believing they’ve finally found a way to end their pain. A sudden, unexplained lift in mood is worth paying attention to.
What to Do if Someone Is Suicidal
Here’s what you can do if you believe someone you know is suicidal:
Consider the Warning Signs
Now that you know the warning signs, ask yourself whether the person has been showing any. If you suspect they have, try to meet with them as soon as possible and have a straightforward conversation about your concerns.
Ask Them Questions
Try to confirm your suspicions by asking how they’re really feeling. Approach the conversation with care, but be direct. You can ask questions such as:
- How have you been coping with life lately?
- Do you ever feel like just giving up?
- Have you been thinking about dying?
- Do you feel alone or hopeless?
- How have you been sleeping?
- Do you feel like a burden to others?
- Do you feel trapped in your situation?
- Have you thought about suicide, now or in the past?
- Have you tried to harm yourself before?
- Have you made a plan to end your life?
- Do you have access to anything you could use to hurt yourself?
- Has someone close to you died by suicide?
- Have you been drinking or using drugs more than usual?
By asking these questions, you show the person that they’re seen and that you care. It also opens the door to taking further steps if they share that they’re having suicidal thoughts.
Emergency Intervention
If the person tells you they’ve recently attempted suicide, step in immediately, especially if that attempt didn’t ease their thoughts of suicide.
Try to convince them to go to the emergency room with you, and don’t leave them alone. If you don’t feel equipped to handle the situation yourself, ask the person who else they’d feel comfortable bringing into the conversation.
If the person won’t accept your help and you believe they’re in danger, you may need to call 911. This isn’t a betrayal. You’re helping keep them safe, and once they get support, they may come to see your actions as the help they needed.
⚠ If Someone Is in Immediate Danger
If a person has just harmed themselves or is preparing to act, don’t wait. Stay with them, call 911 or take them to the nearest emergency room and call or text 988 for guidance. Removing access to anything they could use to hurt themselves can save a life.
What to Say and What to Avoid
Talking with someone about suicidal thoughts is a serious, delicate conversation. The table below sums up what helps and what to steer clear of.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Take every mention or threat seriously. | Dismiss their words or assume they won’t act. |
| Ask directly and listen without judgment. | Minimize their feelings or lay blame, such as pointing out the pain it would cause others. |
| Stay with them and remove access to anything they could use to hurt themselves. | Leave them alone during an active crisis. |
| Be honest that you’ll involve professionals to keep them safe. | Promise to keep their thoughts a secret. |
| Help them connect with 988, an emergency room or 911. | Try to be their only source of support or handle it entirely on your own. |
When and How to Involve Professionals
The most important step is to act as soon as possible. Depression is serious and potentially life-threatening. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 48,000 people died by suicide in 2024. But depression is highly treatable, and with the right help, many people recover and move past thoughts of self-harm.
The other critical step is helping them get professional care. You aren’t a mental health professional, and as much as you want to help, any support you offer on your own is temporary. Ultimately, they need to speak with a therapist for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
As soon as you’re reasonably sure the person is suicidal, find a way to bring in professional support. Because suicide is such a high-risk situation, that often means going to an emergency room, calling 911 or calling or texting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Let trained professionals step in and help your loved one stay safe.
Resources for Immediate Support
The primary resources for suicide support are:
- 911. Call emergency services for immediate help when someone is in danger.
- Emergency room. Take the person to the nearest emergency room for professional help.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 for free, confidential support available 24/7.
- Crisis Text Line. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. Learn more about the Crisis Text Line.
Don’t Forget to Care for Yourself
Carrying the fear that someone you love is suicidal is a heavy burden. As you support them, don’t lose sight of your own well-being. Talking with a mental health professional can help you process what you’ve been through and make sure you’re okay too.
Once the immediate crisis has passed, you can call the Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787 to find ongoing local mental health resources for your loved one or yourself when you’re ready to look at longer-term support.
