📘 Module Aim
This module helps you:
- Understand suicidal thoughts
- Recognise warning signs
- Know how to support someone
- Know where to get help (USA & worldwide)
🧠 What are suicidal thoughts?
Suicidal thoughts can include:
- Feeling hopeless
- Feeling helpless
- Feeling guilty or ashamed
- Feeling like life is not worth living
- Feeling very low or empty
- Feeling alone or like a burden
- Thinking there is no way out
👉 These feelings are real and serious
❤️ Important message
People who feel this way are:
- Not “crazy”
- Not “attention seeking”
- In emotional pain
👉 They need support and understanding
📘 Common reasons for suicidal thoughts
People may feel this way because of:
- Mental health conditions
- Trauma or PTSD
- Abuse (emotional, physical, sexual)
- Bullying
- Relationship problems
- Family breakdown
- Job or money problems
- Loneliness
- Past experiences
🧠 Example conditions
- Anxiety and trauma-related conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Depression
🟡 Important understanding
- There may be a reason
- Sometimes there is no clear reason
- Every person is different
🗣️ Talking and listening
✅ Try to:
- Encourage the person to talk
- Listen carefully
- Be calm and patient
- Let them speak freely
❌ Do NOT:
- Force them to talk
- Judge them
- Interrupt them
👂 Active listening skills
Good listening includes:
- Eye contact
- Calm body language
- Showing understanding
- Not interrupting
👉 This is called active listening
💬 Talking about suicide
It is okay to ask:
- “Are you having thoughts about suicide?”
- “How can I help you?”
👉 Asking does NOT make it worse
👉 It can help save a life
⚠️ Important safety rule
Always take suicidal thoughts seriously
Even if:
- They seem small
- They are said briefly
- The person jokes about it
🚨 Warning signs
A person may:
- Talk about dying or suicide
- Withdraw from people
- Feel empty or trapped
- Lose interest in things
- Have mood changes
- Sleep or eat differently
- Feel low energy
- Stop caring for themselves
- Use alcohol or drugs more
- Give away belongings
- Say goodbye to people
- Become more angry or irritable
🧠 Behaviour changes
Watch for:
- Not being themselves
- Changes in routine
- Social withdrawal
- Emotional distress
🛑 What you should NOT do
- Do not judge
- Do not argue
- Do not shame
- Do not dismiss their feelings
❤️ What you SHOULD do
- Listen
- Support
- Stay calm
- Be kind
- Encourage help
🧭 Supporting someone
You can:
- Say “It’s okay to talk”
- Reassure them
- Encourage professional help
- Stay with them if they are at risk
🧠 Therapy and support
Some helpful therapies include:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Talking therapies
- Art and creative therapy
🔄 Example CBT idea
Negative thought:
👉 “I can’t do this”
Positive thought:
👉 “I will try my best”
🟢 Remember
- Therapy takes time
- Not everything works for everyone
- That is okay
🌍 Where to get help (USA & Worldwide)
🇺🇸 United States
- 📞 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- Call or text 988
- Chat: 988lifeline.org
- 📞 SAMHSA National Helpline
- 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
🌍 Worldwide support
- 🌐 International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP)
https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ - 🌐 Befrienders Worldwide
https://www.befrienders.org - 🌐 World Health Organization (WHO)
https://www.who.int/health-topics/suicide
🇬🇧 UK support (for reference)
- 📞 Samaritans: 116 123
- 🌐 www.samaritans.org
🧠 Training and awareness resources
- Suicide awareness training:
Better Mental Health
https://bettermentalhealthwolves.co.uk - NHS mental health info:
https://www.nhs.uk - UCL Suicide prevention training:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk
🧠 Key message
✔ Always take suicidal thoughts seriously
✔ Always listen without judgement
✔ Always encourage support
✔ Always protect safety
✔ You are not alone
📘 Reflection Activity
Write your answers:
- What did I learn?
👉 ___________________________ - How can I help someone?
👉 ___________________________ - What will I do if I am worried?
👉 ___________________________
🛑 Important reminder
If someone is in immediate danger:
- Call emergency services (911 in USA)
- Stay with the person
- Get help immediately
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