Suicide prevention

Help for suicidal thoughts

If you are feeling like you want to die, it is important to tell someone.

Help and support is available right now if you need it. You do not have to struggle with difficult feelings alone.

Anyone in need can dial NHS 111 and select the option for mental health crisis. You will be connected to the contact centre where trained staff will provide appropriate support and advice 24 hours a day/365 days of the year.

Is your life in danger?

If you are thinking about suicide and feel that your life may be in immediate danger, or have already taken steps to end your life, we would advise you to call the emergency services immediately.

If you have seriously harmed yourself or you feel that you may be about to harm yourself, call 999 for an ambulance or go straight to hospital accident and emergency services.

Call 999 from any phone. Try to be as clear as you can about where you are, your name and description and any details of injuries you may have or steps you might have taken.

Also be as open as you can about your thoughts of suicide.

Or ask someone else to call 999 or take you to accident and emergency services.

Remember, if a life is in danger, it is an emergency.

Do not be scared: it is the right thing to do. You must get help and you will not be in trouble.

Many people worry that they will be wasting people's time if they go to hospital or that accident and emergency services is only for physical injuries.

We want to reassure you that this is not the case and that most accident and emergency services will have mental health professionals working alongside them who can support you.

The people there can then assess you to see what support you might need moving forward and they can help to keep you safe in the meantime.

If you do not feel able to or confident doing either of these then we advise reaching out to someone you trust who can help you access this help.

Are you worried that someone else may be about to kill themselves?

If it is safe to do so, tell the person that you would like to get them medical help now.

Stay with them, and, depending on what you feel able to do, either:

  • call their GP surgery, or
  • call 999, or
  • call 111 and select the option for mental health crisis, or
  • take them to accident and emergency services and stay with them until a member of the mental health team sees them

Are you having suicidal thoughts and would like help and support?

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or in crisis, help and support is available:

Adults

If you, a family member or friend are in crisis and need help, please dial 111 for NHS111 Mental Health and select the option for mental health crisis (option 2). You will be connected to the contact centre where trained staff will provide appropriate support and advice 24 hours a day/365 days of the year.

Under 18s

If you are under the age of 18 or are the family member of someone under the age of 18 who is in crisis, please call North East London NHS Foundation Trust's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service on 0300 300 1600 or nelft-ewmhs.referrals@nhs.net.

If you need urgent help or out of hours help, call 0300 555 1201.

Phone a helpline

These free helplines are there to help when you are feeling down or desperate.

Unless it says otherwise, they are open 24 hours a day, every day.

You can also call these helplines for advice if you are worried about someone else.

Samaritans

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)

Papyrus

Childline

  • for children and young people under 19
  • www.childline.org.uk
  • call 0800 1111 - the number will not show up on your phone bill

SOS Silence of Suicide

Reach Out for Mental Health

  • a free phone-based service which offers an opportunity for people to just talk about what they are going through
  • Reach Out for Mental Health
  • the service is available Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm to any adult living in Southend, Essex, and Thurrock. It offers an opportunity to talk in confidence, with a friendly trained local person.
  • call or text to 07308 069 609
  • email info@reachoutfmh.co.uk

Message a text line

If you do not want to talk to someone over the phone, these text lines are open 24 hours a day, every day.

Shout Crisis Text Line - for everyone

YoungMinds Crisis Messenger - for people under 19

  • Text "YM" to 85258

Talk to someone you trust

Let family or friends know what is going on for you. They may be able to offer support and help keep you safe.

There is no right or wrong way to talk about suicidal feelings - starting the conversation is what is important.

Who else you can talk to?

If you find it difficult to talk to someone you know, you could:

  • call a GP - ask for an emergency appointment
  • call 111 out of hours - they will help you find the support and help you need
  • contact your mental health crisis team - if you have one

Stay Alive app

This app is a pocket suicide prevention resource, packed full of useful information to help you stay safe. You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.

In addition to the resources, the app includes a safety plan, customisable reasons for a living, and a life box where you can store photos that are important to you. See the Prevent Suicide website for more details.

Other useful websites

Preventing suicides in Essex, Southend and Thurrock

#letstalkaboutsuicideessex is a suicide prevention campaign for Essex Thurrock and Southend. No single organisation can do this alone so the NHS, local councils and other health and care organisations across mid and south Essex are all behind this campaign that seeks to reduce the stigma around talking about suicide and raise awareness of suicide prevention training.

The free suicide prevention e-learning training which is accessible to all. The aims of this training are to: enable people to identify when someone is presenting with suicidal thoughts/behaviour, to be able to speak out in a supportive manner, and to empower them to signpost the individual to the correct services or support, see www.letstalkaboutsuicideessex.co.uk.

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