Are you finding yourself thinking about suicide?
If you are concerned about your immediate safety or the safety of someone else – Ring 111
Why do I feel like this? We all experience life in different ways, how things effect us will depend on a variety of factors such as your age, support network, emotional resilience.
Some of the most difficult experiences can be:
- experiencing bereavement loss
- major life stresses (e.g. a relationship breakdown, legal or financial problems)
- being abused (physical, emotional or sexual)
- being bullied or excluded
- chronic pain and chronic illness (including mental illness)
- unemployment
- alcohol and drug use.
It might be that you are experiencing a combination of the above in your life that is leading you to feel overwhelmed and distressed. You might be feeling so troubled that you are unable to sleep, eat, or enjoy anything.
When you are in a place where you don't think you can keep going on, your thoughts might involve wishing you were dead or you may be thinking about ending your life. You might think that your family and friends would be better off without you. You may be feeling overwhelmed by situations in your life leading to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
Although you may be feeling painfully alone right now, it is important for you to know that other people have been there and have had thoughts about ending their lives too.
If you think that you are at immediate risk of committing suicide:
- call 111 and request an ambulance. Stay on the line, speak clearly, and be ready to answer the operator’s questions
- visit you local hospital’s emergency department
- call your local Public Emergency Mental Health Service or go straight to your doctor.
Each of these emergency services teams are specially trained to support people in crisis, including people feeling suicidal, and are able to keep you safe.
What do I do next?
There are a number of services and professionals available to help you through this difficult time. There are also things you can do, to help yourself when you’re feeling distressed or overwhelmed and thinking about hurting yourself or ending your life. It is important to remember, that you are still in control of your body and your actions. With the right steps at the right time, these thoughts can, and do, go away, even if they are really full on.
If you are contemplating suicide but are not thinking about harming yourself immediately, tell someone how you are feeling, even if it is hard. Talk to a close friend, whanau member, teacher or school counsellor, anyone you can trust. Call the suicide support phone lines or make an appointment with your GP/Counsellor/Mental Health Professional. It can be helpful to have a plan in place for when these thoughts come on. Please download the attached list of ideas and exercises to help keep yourself safe.
Samaritans - offers confidential, non religious, and non judgmental support, to anyone who may be feeling depressed lonely or even contemplating suicide. They are available 24 hours a day. Contact number 0800 726 666
Lifeline – 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP)
Lifeline Aotearoa’s helpline and text line provides 24/7, confidential support from qualified Counsellors and trained volunteers.
Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) helpline for any person who is thinking about or attempted suicide, concerned about or supporting someone else or who is recently bereaved by suicide.
Need to Talk 1737 - free call or text at any time, for support from a trained Counsellor.
Remember suicidal thoughts will not go away by themselves, take them and yourself seriously. With the right support you will feel better.
Skylight is here to help you navigate this difficult time. We have contract counselling services in Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt, Churton Park, Kāpiti, Whangarei, Auckland, New Plymouth and Christchurch and a partnership network across Aoteraroa for support in other regions.
Our specialised Resource Centre and library can support you with information, publications, books and Dvds, accessible nationwide free of charge. Please follow the links to contact us for further information and access to the that support you and your whānau need.
We invite you to find out about our Waves programme - an evidence-based, well-evaluated programme for people bereaved by suicide at any time in their lives (for 18+ years old) or Travellers - a school based programme promoting resilience and well-being in year 9 students.