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Suicidal Feelings

Commonly known as: suicide, suicidal, suicidal ideation, suicidal thoughts, want to die, suicide ideation

Suicidal Feelings

Explore suicidal feelings by scrolling through the page or simply select an option from the drop down if you wish to jump to the relevant section of the page:

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In an emergency call 999

If you are concerned about yourself, a friend or family member or your own behaviour, it is an emergency.

Having suicidal thoughts?

If you feel like you want to die, or if someone you know tells you they want to die, it is crucial to talk about these feelings as soon as possible.  Many people experience suicidal thoughts at some time in their lives. Help and support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a week. No one needs to experience these difficult feelings on their own.

If your life is in immediate danger and you cannot get to a safe place or talk to some you trust including someone who is specially trained (see support service details below) call an ambulance on 999 or attend your local A&E department immediately.
See more helpful information here.

If you know of someone who’s life is in immediate danger and cannot get them to a safe place or to talk to someone they trust including someone who is specially trained (see support services below) call an ambulance on 999 or get them to their local A&E department.
See more helpful information here.

  • It is essential that they talk to someone about how they are feeling and get them somewhere they feel safe
  • Free support is available right now to keep them safe

 

What to do if you are having suicidal thoughts

  • If you feel you want to die, free confidential help and support is available right now to keep you safe. See our Helplines, support and urgent help section below.
  • You can pick up the phone, send a text or email. Trained staff are waiting to speak to you, no matter how difficult.
  • You can also speak to someone you know and trust. Please don’t struggle with your feelings on your own.
  • If you have a safety plan then follow your own advice. If not, then do something you enjoy, be around people and remove anything which you could use to harm yourself. Avoid drugs/alcohol and distract yourself.
  • There are useful resources which might be helpful – see self-help resources below.
  • If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger from suicide please click here.

 

How to talk to someone you are worried about

  • If someone has told you they are having suicidal thoughts, or if you suspect someone is suicidal, it is important that they speak to someone about their feelings.
  • Don’t worry that by asking them how they feel, or by asking them if they are feeling suicidal, that this will make things worse.
  • Just listening to what they say and taking them seriously can really help.
  • Be compassionate, don’t be judgemental and don’t talk about your own experiences.
  • Don’t feel you have to fill the silences, just listen. Ask, listen and show you care.
  • Advise them that free confidential help and support is available right now to keep them safe. See our Helplines, support and urgent help section below.
  • Let them know that they can pick up the phone, send a text or email. Trained staff are waiting to speak to them, no matter how difficult the topic might be.
  • Let them know it is important to speak to someone they know and trust. Tell them they don’t need to struggle with their feelings on their own.
  • Advise them to have a look at the self-help resources below. They include apps and the Staying Safe website which advises people on how to develop their own safety plans.

 

Self-help advice

  • Find out more as to how you can help yourself, and/or others, if you are experiencing suicidal feelings. See our self-help resources below.
  • Our resources include some excellent websites. If you struggle with suicidal feelings or you know someone who does, then it is really helpful to write a safety plan. The Staying Safe website provides information on how to make a safety plan.
  • Our resources also include apps which are really useful in helping to manage difficult feelings or suicidal thoughts.
  • Learn new skills to help you know the warning signs for suicide and how to get help that can save lives. See our self-help courses below.
  • You don’t need to experiences these feelings alone. Talk to someone you trust or see our ‘helplines’ section below.
  • If you or someone you know need urgent help – go to our ‘urgent help’ page immediately.
  • If you have been affected by a death by suicide and want to talk to someone or would like support please see our self-help resources below for information on local services. The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board have a funded a dedicated service to support people affected by a death by suicide and who live in our local area – see details of the 2Wish service in the Helplines and Support below.
  • Help is at Hand Cymru is a resource for people bereaved through suicide or other unexplained death, and those helping them. See our self-help resources below.

If you are a professional and want to find out about suicide prevention training, visit professionals courses.

Last updated: 22.08.2022

Self-help suicide prevention resources

Browse our free self-help suicide prevention resources, approved by experts.

TypeTitleRelated to…Provider
Reading Reading

Finding Your Way – A guide for anyone who is struggling to cope | Samaritans

Loneliness, Low Mood, Money, Self-Harm, Suicide mind
Apps (iOS) Apps (iOS)

Stay Alive App (iOS) – Free suicide prevention resource, packed full of useful information and tools to help you stay safe in a crisis.

Self-Harm, Suicide mind
Apps (Android) Apps (Android)

Stay Alive App (Android) – Free suicide prevention resource, packed full of useful information and tools to help you stay safe in a crisis.

Self-Harm, Suicide mind
Apps (iOS) Apps (iOS)

distrACT App (iOS) – Free app providing trusted information and links to support people who self-harm and may feel suicidal.

Self-Harm, Suicide, Young Person's Mental Health

Expert Self Care

Apps (Android) Apps (Android)

distrACT App (Android) – Free app providing trusted information and links to support people who self-harm and may feel suicidal.

Self-Harm, Suicide, Young Person's Mental Health

Expert Self Care

Websites Websites

Staying Safe | Information and advice to help you stay safe – videos and downloadable safety plans 

Suicide mind
Websites Websites

Young Person’s Mental Health Toolkit – Crisis

Children's Mental Wellbeing, Students' Mental Health, Suicide, Young Person's Mental Health mind
Web App Web App

Samaritans Self-Help App

Depression, Low Mood, Self-Harm, Students' Mental Health, Suicide, Young Person's Mental Health mind
Websites Websites

Heads Above The Waves – a not-for-profit organisation that promotes positive ways of dealing with depression and self-harm in young people

Depression, Self-Harm, Students' Mental Health, Suicide, Young Person's Mental Health mind
Showing 9 out of 18 results View all

Helplines, support and urgent help

See below for helplines to help those having suicidal thoughts. To see our full list of helplines, visit our helplines page. These are free services that have staff trained to listen and talk to people who are feeling suicidal or who are worried about their mental health.

Samaritans Logo

Samaritans – For Everyone

If you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to, Samaritans will listen. You can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 116 123 (free from any phone) or email [email protected].

You can also call the Samaritans Welsh Language Line (free from any phone) on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).

Visit the Samaritans Cymru website ➝
Papyrus Logo

PAPYRUS – for people under 35 and those who work with them

PAPYRUS was founded in 1997 by a mother, Jean Kerr, from Lancashire following the loss of her son to suicide. PAPYRUS was initially set up as the Parents’ Association for the Prevention of Young Suicide, hence the name PAPYRUS.

Since 1997, PAPYRUS has continued to listen to and learn from the experiences of those personally touched by young suicide. Today, PAPYRUS works in many ways to prevent young suicide.

HOPELINE UK – Open 9am to midnight every day of the year.

Visit the Papyrus website ➝

Shout

Text Shout to 85258 – Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text servicefree on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere.

It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help.

Shout is powered by a team of volunteers, who are at the heart of the service. We take people from crisis to calm every single day.

Visit the Shout website ➝
2Wish Logo

2Wish – Supporting families in Gwent bereaved by suicide

Supporting families bereaved by suicide, of any age and at any time

In our local area of Gwent (Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Newport, Monmouthshire and Torfaen), the ABUHB are funding 2Wish to trial an extension of their service to support anyone bereaved by suicide, regardless of the age of the person who died or when they died. This service is available only for people living in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area.

Visit 2Wish website ➝
Showing 4 out of 11 results View all