If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts, you’ve just made an important step to protect yourself. If you feel like your life is at risk right now, you’re in a mental health emergency, and you need to treat it as one. You are not wasting anyone’s time.

Call 999

Go straight to A&E

Call your local crisis team

Call 999

Go straight to A&E

Call your local crisis team

If that doesn’t feel like the right answer, don’t be on your own with your thoughts. Please call our FREE 24/7 helpline or speak to a member of our helpline team through our live chat service (available Mon-Fri 9am-6pm).

If you live in the UK:

If you live in the Republic of Ireland:

suicidal thoughts

Suicidal thoughts can present differently for everyone and it can be a lonely, scary experience. You might be staring at the screen thinking, ‘Nobody understands’.

Whilst only you know your specific situation, it’s important to know that you are not alone in having these feelings. We understand how bad it feels to get here. And we’re so sorry you’re going through this.

Life throws some heavy punches sometimes, it’s no wonder you’re on the floor. Let’s help you get back up.

A little bit of hope

If you’re thinking you will never be happy again, consider this. Around 1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts, but only 1 in 10,000 take their life. This means a LOT of people found ways to keep going, even when they didn’t think it was possible.

I'm feeling suicidal right now...

The feelings you’re having might be overwhelming at the moment, but feelings don’t last forever. For now, try these ways to get through the next 10 minutes, and the next, and so on. Once you’re through to a calmer place, you can consider your next steps.

follow your safety plan

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A safety plan is a tool that you can use when you’re thinking about suicide. It might help to offer something concrete when your mind feels out of control. This might include details like:

Who can help?
How can I reduce alcohol and drug consumption?
Who will I call?
Where do I feel safe?
Ideas for things that have helped in the past

remove The danger

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Remove risk and hide objects or things you might use to harm yourself. If you’re in an unsafe location, move yourself away. This might feel like a battle, but bargain with yourself that you’re taking 5 to gather your thoughts.

tell someone how you feel

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This can feel difficult, as you might be scared to hear the response. But the people who love you want to help you. If this feels too much, write down how you feel. The reality of seeing it on paper could help you to realise how bad it has become.

Distract yourself

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If you can find gentle ways to distract yourself, you might find that the intensity of your feelings has calmed. One way to distract and ground yourself is doing a senses activity. Notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you are touching, 2 things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. More ideas below:

Visit the webpage ‘Reasons to Stay’
Cover a whole sheet of paper in biro
Breathe out for longer than you breathe in
Rip a piece of paper into hundreds of pieces
Go outside and feel the weather on your skin
Hold a piece of ice and notice how it feels
Lie down and imagine painting every inch of your body in your favourite colour
Play some music and try to pick out every different instrument

find your reasons to live

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Try to remember times in your life when you felt happy. Even if it was just eating an amazing sandwich or having a laugh at work. Remember, life will have more moments of joy in future.

challenge your thoughts

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It’s common to think ‘I’m worthless’, ‘I’m a burden’, ‘They’ll be better off without me’. But think about what the people who love you would say. What you would say to a best friend. Don’t let the negative thoughts trick you.

Difficulties in the industry

As you know, the construction industry is a challenging place to be. Suicide rates for construction workers in the UK is 3 times the national average.

Long hours and tight deadlines
Job uncertainty
Working away
Poor welfare
Work culture
Financial/home pressure

Looking after yourself

With so much pressure on your shoulders, it’s no wonder you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s easy to say and much harder to really do – but it’s so important to look after yourself. You wouldn’t expect a car to work properly without the right fuel and regular maintenance – and we’re not so different.

You’ll have heard about ‘self-care’. Why not keep an open mind, and click here to see what it’s all about.

worried about someone else?

If you’re worried about someone, chances are you’ve already seen some of the warning signs. Clear signs include:

Telling someone they intend to end their life or hurt themselves
Looking for or talking about ways to kill themselves
Saying goodbye, or putting affairs in order
Behaviours linked with deep depression; poor hygiene, withdrawal from society, agitation and signs of anxiety

Some signs may be a little more subtle and harder to detect:

Increasing alcohol or drug use
A desire to seek revenge
Acting recklessly or engaging in risky activities
Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
Suddenly appearing much more positive after a depressive episode
Using suicide chat rooms or pro-suicide sites

Have the conversation

“How are you feeling today?
Is everything going alright?”

“I’ve noticed that you seem a little down lately. How are you coping with everything that’s been going on in your life?”

Evaluate the risk

Do they have the means and a timeframe? Have they made arrangements and put things in order? If you’re aware that they have previously self-harmed, made prior attempts, or their support network is limited, the risk could be greater.

Request help

If you feel the risk is immediate, remove anything they could use to harm themselves, stay with them, and get emergency help.

If not, encourage them to talk about their feelings and seek treatment and support.

Resources: Suicide Awareness

To better understand the reasons people feel suicidal, spot the signs, and equip yourself with the skills to help, you can take our Suicide Awareness course through our Wellbeing Academy.