What to do if someone you know is suicidal

Don't be afraid to approach someone who you think may be struggling to cope. There's no evidence that talking to them will make things worse. Showing that you care can be a powerful way to support someone.

If someone is talking about suicide, always take it seriously.

You don't have to be able to solve their problems but, if you feel you can, offer support and encourage them to talk about how they're feeling.

Listen to them

Ask direct questions and don't be afraid of frank discussions. Many people want to be given a chance to talk, but don’t want to burden anyone around them. Read our guidance and tips on having that difficult conversation.

Encourage them to seek help

Talk together and discuss their options. If you can, encourage them to call us directly and pass on our details to them.

They can call us for free on 116 123, email on [email protected], write us a letter or visit us at one of our local branches.

If they need advice or specialist support for a particular issue, we've put together this list of organisations which may be able to help, including their contact details and opening times.

Ask Samaritans to contact them

You can also call us on 116 123 or email us [email protected] on their behalf.

When we contact them, we can tell the person that you asked us to get in touch, or keep you anonymous if you prefer.

We won’t tell you anything the person you’re worried about shares with us, or whether they wanted our support. The only information we can share with you is whether or not we managed to reach them.

You can ask us to contact whoever you’re worried about by phone, email or letter and we’ll contact them in the way you suggest with the details you provide.

If we call and somebody else picks up, we won’t leave a message.

If they are in immediate danger, for example, if they've hurt themselves, the quickest way to get help is to call an ambulance on 999.

We can call an ambulance for you, if you prefer.

Read more about situations that can trigger suicidal thoughts and signs that someone might be struggling to cope.

Supporting someone in distress can be distressing in itself. If you're helping someone who's struggling, make sure you take care of yourself as well.

If you need to talk about how you are feeling, please call Samaritans on 116 123, or email on [email protected], whenever you need.