Making a safety plan

A suicide safety plan can help to keep you safe when you are low or feeling suicidal. Your safety plan will remind you of reasons to live and connect you with the people and services who can help during the tough times, giving you some perspective when you’re feeling low.

Find a time when you are calm, and work together with someone you trust – such as a close friend, family member, your doctor or counsellor to develop your suicide safety plan. It is a good idea to get these people involved, since you may need to call on them and it is important that they know the best way to care for you.

It is best to create the plan at a time when you are feeling well and thinking clearly, rather than waiting until you are overwhelmed and feeling suicidal. Put your suicide safety plan in writing and keep it in a place where you can easily find it.

What to include in your safety plan

• When the plan should be used. Familiarise yourself with what types of situations, thoughts and feelings that might lead to suicidal urges for you. List the warning signs so that you can refer to them when you are deciding on whether to activate your plan.
• What you can do to calm/comfort yourself when you are feeling suicidal. List the activities that you know both soothe and comfort you when you are upset.
• Create a list for yourself of all your reasons for living. When you are feeling suicidal, it is easy to get caught up in the pain you are feeling and forget the positives in your life. Your list may help you to refocus your attention until the suicidal feelings pass.
• Who you can talk to. List names and contact details of people you trust and include back ups in case your first choice is unavailable.
• Who you can talk to if you need professional assistance. Create a list of professional resources available to you, along with their contact details and availability.
• How you can make your environment safe. This may involve removing or securing any items that you are likely to use to hurt yourself and not doing things that you know make your feelings stronger or longer lasting.
• What you can do if you are still not feeling safe. Keep the name and address of your nearest hospital emergency department or telephone crisis line.
• Make a safety plan commitment. The last step is to make a commitment to your safety plan. This means committing to yourself that you will follow this plan when the need arises, and then committing aloud to someone else (e.g. your counsellor, a trusted friend) that you will follow this plan. This is also called “a safety contract.”

In an emergency

If you are in immediate danger, or concerned for your safety in any way:

• Call 000 and request an ambulance. Stay on the line, speak clearly, and be ready to answer the operator’s questions.
• Visit your local hospital’s emergency department.

Get Help Now

If you are feeling suicidal and need someone to talk to, call Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 to speak to a counsellor.

If it is an emergency, please call 000.