Help for somebody with suicidal thoughts
Talking about suicide is often a difficult topic to bring up.
The purpose of this is to create a safe and supportive space for individuals who have been impacted by suicide.
Add your message to the Book of Reflection and read the messages left by others.
Potential signs
It's not always obvious when someone is going through a crisis and feeling suicidal. Any of these potential signs can indicate if someone is suicidal and prompt you to take action:
- Severe sadness
- Insomnia
- Withdrawal
- Changes in life (personality, appearance)
- Self-harming behaviour
- Recent trauma
- Talking about suicide.
Lawrie, a young woman bereaved by suicide, tells her story to Paul from Clear MT Digital. See the full interview: The Saddest People Smile The Brightest. Men's Talk is Clear's advocacy project for men with lived experience of mental health issues, using applied theatre and film-making to raise awareness, reduce stigma and sign-post support.
How to offer support
Support from friends and family can play a huge part in changing someone's life and reduce any suicidal thoughts and impulses. If you have noticed that someone displays any of these signs:
- Talk about it - ask them if they are having these thoughts, as communication can reduce the chances of this happening. Remind them they are important and are loved.
- Reassure them without judgement
- Listen to them
- Find out if they have a plan on suicide.
Learn how to help somebody with suicidal thoughts
Zero Suicide Alliance training
Suicide Prevention Champions
A Suicide Prevention Champion is someone who learns about suicide prevention so they help their friends, relatives, colleagues or even strangers in the community. Knowing the signs and being able to have a conversation about suicide is a skill we can all develop.
Suicide Prevention Champions also take action - big or small - to challenge stigma, raise awareness and promote suicide prevention within their home, neighbourhood, community and workplace.
Our Suicide Prevention Champions initiative is open to anyone (over 18) who wants to help prevent suicide and is willing to take an active role in raising awareness, reducing stigma and championing this cause.
We want anyone in Kirklees Suicide Prevention Champions from all communities across West Yorkshire. This includes unpaid carers, LGBTQ+, those from ethnic minority communities, young and old people as well as those with a disability.
Get support for yourself or someone else
- Suicide Bereavement Services
- Suicide Prevention West Yorkshire
- Papyrus UK - for young people under 35
Professional resources
- Guidance for frontline workers and volunteers
- Guidance for frontline workers and volunteers: Supporting young people
- Kirklees suicide and self-harm prevention action plan 2020-2023
- A framework of the suicide audit 2019-2021 findings and recommendations for Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees These are reported against the national strategy recommendations, which includes additional local findings.
- Bradford - Calderdale - Kirklees Suicide Audit 2019-2021 Summary of Key Findings for Kirklees Council May 2024
- West Yorkshire suicide prevention strategy and action plan 2022-2027