I'm having suicidal thoughts

Talking with a friend, family member, carer or support service can help you feel less alone. Sometimes, saying the thoughts out loud can reduce their intensity and help you get through the moment. If it feels hard to know what to say, you could try something simple like:

• ‘I’m not okay right now. Can you stay with me (on the phone or text)?’
• ‘I’ve been having a really tough time and could use someone to talk to.’
• ‘I don’t need you to fix anything. I just don’t want to be alone.’

If you’d rather text, you could send:

• ‘Hey, are you around? I’m struggling a bit and could use some company.’
• ‘Can you check in with me? I’m having a hard time.’

You don’t have to explain everything. Just starting the conversation is enough.

If you don’t have someone to reach out to, you can connect with trained crisis supporters who are there to listen 24/7:

• Lifeline (13 11 14), text (0477 13 11 14) or online chat
• Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467)

These services are free, confidential and available any time. You can talk openly about how you’re feeling, even if you’re not sure what you need.

• Watch something familiar, listen to music, go for a walk or do a simple task
• Set a short timer (for example 10-15 minutes) and focus on getting through that time
• Tell yourself ‘I’ll check in again later’ rather than acting right now
• Move to a different space, like another room, going outside or somewhere you feel a little safer
• Have a shower, wrap yourself in a blanket or hold something comforting
• Put some distance between you and anything you could use to harm yourself (for example moving it out of reach, leaving the area or asking someone to hold onto it)

• Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds
• Hold for 4 seconds
• Breathe out your mouth for 4 seconds
• Hold for 4 seconds

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can feel
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

• hold something cold (like an ice cube or cold drink)
• splash your face with water
• wrap up in a blanket or hold something soft
• listen to familiar or calming sounds

• Stretch your arms or legs
• Walk around the room or step outside
• Press your feet into the ground and notice the feeling

It’s important to get help now if:

• You feel like you might act on suicidal thoughts
• You have a plan or intent to harm yourself
• You’re feeling overwhelmed and don’t feel safe
• You’re alone and struggling to cope

Urgent help can look different depending on what you need in the moment.

You might:

• Call a support service to talk things through and get immediate support
• Ask someone you trust to stay with you, either in person or on the phone
• Go somewhere you feel safer, like being around other people or in a public space
• Visit your GP or a local urgent care service if they’re available
• Go to an emergency department if you need immediate care or support to stay safe

• Calling Triple Zero (000) if you are in immediate danger or cannot get there safely
• Calling your state or territory mental health triage line for advice

• ‘I don’t feel safe’
• ‘I’m scared I might hurt myself’
• ‘I’m too overwhelmed to explain properly’

• Let staff know if you feel less safe
• Text or call someone you trust
• Use a grounding strategy, like slow breathing or pressing your feet into the floor
• Ask for water, a blanket or a quieter place if one is available

• What brought you in
• How safe you feel
• Whether you’ve been thinking about harming yourself
• Any medications, alcohol or other substances

From there, you might:

• Go home with follow-up support
• Be referred to a crisis team
• Stay briefly for monitoring
• Be admitted for more support

Suicidal thoughts often come up during periods of intense stress or emotional pain. Many people experience them when they’re struggling.

They can be linked to:

• Work, relationship or financial stress
• Physical or mental health challenges
• Major life changes or transitions
• Grief or difficult anniversaries
• Past trauma resurfacing

If you’re having thoughts that you’re a burden, you’re not alone. Many people experience this when they’re struggling.

Suicidal thoughts don’t always mean you want to act on them. For many people, they reflect how intense things feel right now.

Sometimes, these thoughts can be:

• A way your mind is responding to feeling overwhelmed, exhausted or stuck
• A sign that something in your life feels too painful, difficult or hard to cope with
• Connected to feeling hopeless, trapped or like there’s no way forward

Other times, they can feel more sudden or intrusive, like thoughts that appear without warning, even if you don’t want them there.

Some people describe it as: ‘I don’t want to die; I just don’t want to feel like this anymore.’

Understanding this can help create a small bit of space between you and the thoughts. They are something you’re experiencing, not something you have to act on.

Even though they can feel very powerful in the moment, thoughts and feelings usually change over time, especially when you’re able to connect with support.

Sometimes, suicidal thoughts can become stronger without you immediately noticing the change.

This can happen when:

• Thoughts feel overwhelming or hard to switch off
• You’ve been coping on your own for a while
• Stress or emotional pressure builds up over time
• You’re feeling exhausted, not sleeping well, or run down
• Something difficult has happened or reminded you of past experiences

When your mind is under a lot of pressure, thoughts can start to feel louder, more urgent or harder to control. They might come and go quickly or feel like they’ve suddenly taken over. At times, it can feel like the intensity won’t ease, but these moments often pass, especially when something shifts (like talking to someone, changing your environment or giving yourself time).

Even when they feel strong, these thoughts can rise and fall. They don’t stay at the same intensity forever.

Paying attention to changes in how you’re behaving, thinking or feeling can help you recognise when you may need extra care and support. This isn’t always easy, especially when thoughts feel overwhelming or distracting. Below are some common warning signs that people experience.

Changes in behaviour

• Spending less time with others
• Changes in eating patterns
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Taking risks or acting more recklessly than usual (for example dangerous driving, substance use or overspending) 
• Finding it harder to look after yourself or complete daily tasks
• Giving away possessions or making plans related to suicide

Changes in emotions/thoughts

• Feeling trapped or like there’s no way out
• Thinking about death as escape or relief
• Feeling guilty, ashamed or like a burden
• Losing interest in the future or things that once mattered to you
• Feeling suddenly calm or relieved after deciding to end your life

Life events that can increase distress

• Job, relationship or financial stress
• Physical or mental health challenges 
• Major life changes or transitions
• Grief or difficult anniversaries
• Past trauma resurfacing

If you notice some of these changes in yourself, it doesn’t mean you will act on suicidal thoughts. It may simply be a sign that you need more support right now. Reaching out to your GP or contacting a support service can help.