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When people feel hopeless and can’t see any way to make things better, they sometimes want their life to end. But things can get better.
Whether you're feeling suicidal, you want to support a friend or you've lost someone to suicide, this page can help.
If you're feeling suicidal, please call 999 or call Childline on 0800 1111.
This page is also available in Welsh.
Anyone can feel suicidal. These feelings can happen for lots of reasons, and it might be that different things have built up in your life and left you struggling to cope.
However down or hopeless you're feeling, we're here for you. There's nothing wrong with you, and you're not alone.
Feeling suicidal can affect anyone, no matter their age. People may want to end their life because:
There are always other ways to cope, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. You can talk to a Childline counsellor about how you’re feeling, or read our tips on how to cope with suicidal feelings.
Things to remember:
in such a
dark place
right now
Somebody who is feeling suicidal might:
Somebody who is feeling suicidal might say things like:
Caring for your friend is the best thing you can do. Just being there can help them start to feel better. Ask how they're feeling and listen closely to what they tell you. Your friend might explain why they feel sad or hopeless. Tell them you understand why they might feel like this – but that you don’t want them to react by ending their own life.
People who feel suicidal often feel hopeless. You can help give hope back to your friend. Suggest future plans or things you can do together. It could be anything, like a bike ride or a trip to the cinema each week.
You can also encourage your friend to talk to a Childline counsellor or a doctor. It really helps to talk to someone, and they might find it easier to talk to someone who they don’t know. Remember that it’s not all up to you to help them cope.
When supporting somebody who's feeling suicidal, you might say things like:
"I'm here whenever you want to talk."
"I can help you get some support."
"You can trust me."
"You're so important to me."
You're not responsible for stopping your friend from hurting themselves. If helping your friend is difficult or upsetting, you can talk to a Childline counsellor. It's important that you get support too.
Remember that you're not responsible for stopping your friend from hurting themselves. It’s important that you get support too. If helping your friend is difficult or upsetting, you can talk to a Childline counsellor for support too.
If someone ends their own life, it’s extremely upsetting for their friends and family. Everyone reacts differently to something like this. But you might feel confused or angry. Some people feel embarrassed. And others wonder if there’s something they could have done to stop their friend, parent or sibling ending their life. These are all natural reactions. But remember that someone’s suicide didn’t happen because of something you did or didn’t do.
You can get support by:
Self-harm is when someone hurts themselves on purpose. It can be a way of dealing with difficult or painful feelings. If someone self-harms, it doesn’t always mean they're suicidal.
Some types of self-harm can be very dangerous. It could put someone’s life at risk, even if they're not suicidal. If you have self-harmed and you think you've really hurt yourself, get help straight away by calling 999.
Who self-harms?
There's no one type of person that struggles with self-harm. The important thing to remember is you’re not alone and you can get help.
