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Suicide
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.
Why do I feel suicidal?
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:
- they feel it'll make their pain stop
- they feel like they're a burden to others
- they think it'll mean people will understand how much they're hurting
- they feel suicide will give them control.
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:
- suicidal thoughts and feelings can be brought on by lots of different things
- things can get better
- we have tips on how to cope with suicidal feelings
- talk to someone about how you feel
- Childline counsellors are here to help you anytime, day or night
Coping with how you feel
Olly Alexander from Years & Years talks about opening up
Somewhere new
What you can do
Talk to someone
Telling someone how you feel helps. It means you don’t have to carry the weight of it around all on your own. And it can make it feel easier to carry the load. Remember you have control over how much you tell them. You could tell them everything. Or you could only say just a bit. It’s up to you. It’s important to feel comfortable with how much you tell someone.
It’s also important to be comfortable with the person you tell. Make sure it’s someone you trust. It could be someone who has helped you before.
It can feel scary to tell someone something serious like having suicidal thoughts, but talking about it can be a relief. The fear often passes. If you don’t want to tell them face to face, that’s okay. You could tell them in a letter, an email or a drawing.
Read more about asking an adult for help.
Find ways to cope
There are lots of different ways to help you cope if you ever feel suicidal. Exercise can help. So does doing something creative, like art or writing. Many young people listen to music. Some people set themselves small goals or make a list of anything, even small things, that makes them smile. There are lots of ways of coping with feeling down or experiencing suicidal feelings.
Take a look at our coping with suicidal feelings advice for more ideas on what you can do.
See a doctor
If you feel suicidal, going to see a doctor can really help. Doctors won’t judge you and they'll keep what you've told them private, unless they think you're in serious danger. You might find that just having a safe space to be honest about how you're feeling helps lift the strain off you a little bit.
A doctor could help you think about what may be causing your suicidal thoughts. They might also be able to prescribe you treatment to help you get better. They may set you up with another type of professional help – like counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Get more information about visiting a doctor.
Talk to a Childline counsellor
Our counsellors are here to help and support you. They'll always listen to you and will never judge you.
A Childline counsellor can help you find other ways to cope. And keep supporting you until things start to change. And they won’t tell anyone what you’ve said, unless your life is in danger.
Talk to a counsellor now by calling free on 0800 1111 or log in for a 1-2-1 chat online.
signs that somebody might be suicidal
Somebody who is feeling suicidal might:
- stop wanting to see their friends or do things they normally like doing
- talk about feeling down, low or depressed
- start doing dangerous things like taking drugs or drinking alcohol
- give away things they own
- stop looking after themselves (for example, they might not wash as often or care about their appearance like they used to)
- mention that they're planning to take their own life.
Somebody who is feeling suicidal might say things like:
- “It’ll be over soon”
- “I’d be better off dead”
- “I don’t want to be here anymore”
- “No one will miss me”
helping a friend who feels suicidal
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.
Losing someone to suicide
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:
- looking at our page about when someone dies
- sharing how you feel with someone you trust
- talking to a counsellor about how you’re feeling.
Is self-harm the same as being suicidal?
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.
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