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Asked by random :) to Psychiatry Ward Team, Home Treatment Team on 30 Jan 2019.
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Sheffield Psychiatry Ward Team answered on 30 Jan 2019: last edited 30 Jan 2019 11:06 pm
Hi, Emma here
I think the most important thing is to listen to them and give them space to talk about how they are feeling. Feeling suicidal can be an incredibly lonely and scary place so the fact they have opened up to you is a really big step.
You should gently encourage them to talk to someone, such as a parent or their GP. You can consider offering to be with them when they tell their parents or go to an appointment. Reassure them that there is help available and they won’t have to feel that way forever. If they are finding it really hard to resist thoughts of hurting themselves, or you are really worried about them or they think they are about to hurt themselves, you can call an ambulance to take them to A&E where they can be kept safe and assessed by a mental health professional.
There are also some other sources of support, such as the Samaritans, which is a charity phone line where people can call anonymously 24/7. There are usually helplines in each city too, such as a crisis line – here is a good resource to point them to: https://www.rethink.org/about-us/our-mental-health-advice/crisis-contacts
It’s important to listen, be non-judgemental and be patient with people – if they are not doing as much/withdrawing from their usual stuff then check in with them and make sure they are ok. Try not to offer solutions such as “Just think positive!” as that is very difficult to do when you have depression. Instead, you could offer to support them – do a bit of shopping for them or cook them a meal if they feel up to it, send them messages letting them know you are thinking about them, maybe even offer to bring round a film or watch Netflix together in your PJs with no pressure to go out of the house if they don’t want to. Be guided by them but make sure they know you care 🙂
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Comments
Arts Therapy Team commented on :
Hi I agree with everything Emma has said, be a friend, listen don’t judge, don’t feel its your responsibility to have a solution or have the answers, support your friend with seeking help from the right kind of services. Understand your friend has taken a brave step in sharing their vulnerability with you, she/he will need to do this many more times, because talking about what upsets us is an important part of recovery and gaining awareness of why we feel what we feel.
Neel - Psychiatrist commented on :
It’s never easy, but the key thing is to listen and not judge. Trying to support them get some professional help is important. There are many forms of help, from charities to the NHS that can help so it is important to know the there is hope.