Ask Sam letter

Asker

To Sam

my mum might want to commit suicide

i am 12 years old. i knew my mum has been depressed for a long time , but earlier today i heard her watching a video on a website. this is unlike her , so when she was putting my 5 year old brother to bed, i went on her phone. turns out , she was watching something called 10 ways to die with no pain or something similar. i know i shouldnt have been on her phone because its personal, but this is truely worrying .i dont want her to commit suicide. how do you think i should talk her out of this state of mind? your answer would be greatly aprechiatedappreciated . thanks.
Ask Sam

Sam

Hi there,

Suicidal feelings can be frightening and painful for the person who is experiencing them. It's also scary for their families. If you’re worried that a parent or family member is feeling suicidal then it’s important to let someone know so you can get help.

People can often have suicidal thoughts when they feel there’s no other way out of a situation. And some people can actually go as far as looking at how they might be able to do this. This doesn’t always mean that they will carry this out, but it does show that they may need some help to stay safe. If you ever think someone may be in danger of hurting themselves, call 999 for help.

If someone feels suicidal it is really important that they have someone they can talk to about how they are feeling. It can be really complicated. And it’s important to know that it's not usually about someone talking them out of it. Often someone needs more support than you might be able to give them yourself.

If you want to talk to your mum about this, then maybe you could start by leaving some leaflets or information where she can find them. Or you could send your mum a text with the information if you feel comfortable with this. If she can find the courage to ask, there is help available to her.

You could encourage her to ring the Samaritans by calling 116 123, contact her GP, call NHS 111 or go into the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department at your local hospital.

If you have a family member who won’t contact anyone then you can call the Samaritans yourself and ask them to get in touch with the person. The Samaritans wouldn't have to say that it was you who asked them to call the person. They won’t be able to tell you what they have discussed with them, but will let you know if they have made contact.

It’s really important that you can get support with your feelings too - you can talk to a counsellor or call on 0800 1111. You don’t have to go through this alone. We’re here to listen and support with this and anything else going on for you.

Take care,
Sam

Need help straight away?

You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.

Ask me a question

You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.

Write me a letter