Learn How to Help
Support their Safety
Someone who is thinking about suicide should have a safety plan in place. If the person you are supporting doesn't have one, encourage them to talk with a mental health professional about it. As connecting to a therapist can take time, it can also be helpful to have them connect with a crisis line to develop a plan that you can support right away.
Safety Plan
noun | safe-ty plan | \ ‘sāf-tē ‘plan \
A safety plan is an outline of personal warning signs for suicide along with coping strategies and supports a person in need can reach out to when they are struggling.
Safety plans are:
- customized, concise and easy to access during moments of crisis
- continually reviewed to add in new coping skills and social supports
- typically developed with a mental health clinician
- well researched as an effective way to prevent suicide
To learn more about safety plans, take a look at the original template developed by Drs. Barbara Stanley and Gregory Brown with the Department of Veteran Affairs or this Safety Plan Toolkit authored by the Centre for Suicide Prevention. There’s also an app available to customize a safety plan on your phone.
Below are the components of a safety plan and how they can inform your role as a suicide caregiver:
Warning Signs
Learn their warning signs so you can help them identify when they need additional support. Example: Understand that when they are drinking more, they may be having negative thoughts they need to process in therapy.
Coping Strategies and Distractions
Promote the use of healthy coping skills and engage in identified activities. Example: Plan outdoor walks or hikes with the person in need as a distraction.
Support Network
Know who else is in their support network and collaborate with them on care. Example: Talk to another identified support person about driving the person in need to therapy when you can’t make it.
Crisis and Professional Support
Know who to reach out to when they are in imminent danger. Example: Call the crisis line when they start to formulate a plan for suicide.
Safe Environment
Take part in deactivating their suicide plan as you feel comfortable. Example: Agree to keep their medication and only provide them a weekly dosage..
Reason(s) for Living
Empathize with the person in need’s pain, but also remind them of their reason(s) for living. Example: “I know you’re going through a lot right now. At the same time, you always talk about your plans for the future and all of the things you’re excited to do.”Empathize with the person in need’s pain, but also remind them of their reason(s) for living
Example: “I know you’re going through a lot right now. At the same time, you always talk about your plans for the future and all of the things you’re excited to do.”
Playing an active role in the person in need’s safety plan gives you an opportunity to support them at a more meaningful level. While a safety plan does not mean that thoughts of suicide go away, regularly checking in and providing the type of support the person needs is what helps them through these difficult times.
SID is not a substitute for clinical treatment or crisis intervention
If you are looking for emergency support, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Suicide Is Different's content and products were developed by subject matter experts for educational purposes only and intended for use by adults. We encourage you to review our Resource Directory if you are looking for clinical services or supports outside of the US.
