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If you are in immediate danger of self harm or suicide,
please call 000.
Who is this for?
If you have been experiencing thoughts of suicide, this toolkit is designed to help keep you safe and find support in times of distress.
A sense of struggling to cope can sometimes be compounded by feelings of overwhelm and helplessness. This may be as a result of loss, grief, or trauma, or a culmination of day-to-day stressors which have accumulated over time. At times, one or all of these factors can lead to thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
If this is the case for you, having a safety plan in place can be a useful guide for support in times of distress. A plan can give you concrete strategies to focus on the here and now, help keep you safe, and reduce the intensity of suicidal thoughts.
Focusing on things that are within your control allows you to manage emotional distress, and connect with yourself and your loved ones.
1. Identify warning signs of suicide (p3)
2. Contact a crisis line (p4)
3. Remove /dispose of any items that are part of a suicide plan – if this feels unsafe, ask a loved one to do this for you
4. Capture your reasons on paper for times of distress and vulnerability (p5)
5. List people or things that can distract you or help you cope in moments of distress (p5)
Making a simple safety plan can help to keep you safe
when experiencing suicidal thoughts
Speak with your GP and build a mental health care plan.
For crisis help, Lifeline Australia provides one-on-one support with trained mental health professionals at any time of the day or night. Call 13 11 14.
Alternatively, you can reach the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467, or speak to a counsellor on one of the numbers listed below.
If it is an emergency, please call 000
ACT – 1800 629 354 – Mental Health Triage Service
NSW – 1800 011 511 – Mental Health Line
VIC – 1300 651 251 – Suicide Help Line
QLD – 13 43 25 84 – 13 HEALTH
SA – 13 14 65 – Mental Health Assessment & Crisis Intervention
WA – Mental Health Emergency Response Line
1800 676 822 (PEEL)
1300 555 788 (Metro)
TAS – 1800 332 388 – Mental Health Services Helpline
NT – 1800 682 288 – Mental Health Line
First responders and their families can arrange an appointment with a psychologist at Fortem by calling 1300 33 95 94.
Suicidal thoughts can be a side effect of intense, overwhelming, or chronic pain – whether physical, emotional, or both. They can also arise due to depressive feelings of burden, hopelessness, or guilt. As humans, it is natural to want an end to pain for
ourselves and others. Thankfully, it is also in our makeup to protect ourselves from danger. This is where the safety plan comes in.
Thoughts of ending your life can be frightening, and it can be hard to remember that
they will pass. But they do not have to rule you, and a thought does not equal an action. By having simple safety mechanisms in place – just as we have a railing to support us when climbing the stairs – you can support yourself to move beyond the thoughts and connect to the things that matter to you, and to the people in your life.
You won’t need the railing all the time, but it’s there to support you when you need it.
Making a simple safety plan can help to keep you safe
when experiencing suicidal thoughts
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