What’s going on?
Signs that someone might be thinking about suicide aren’t always easy to see.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone is thinking about ending their life.
The signs aren’t always obvious and things can change quickly.
If that happens, it doesn’t mean anyone did anything wrong or didn’t care.
Most of the time, people who are struggling try to show how they feel, but it might not look the way we expect.
You might have seen a post, story or photo that didn’t feel right. Maybe a message felt heavy, confusing or different from how your friend usually is.
It’s okay if you’re not sure how serious it is or the ‘right’ thing to say. A lot of people feel unsure in these moments.
What matters is that you noticed something and you’re looking for support. You don’t need to have all the answers or say the perfect thing.
You don’t have to deal with this on your own. Help is available for both you and your friend, and asking for support is a strong and caring thing to do.
What are some warning signs?
There are many warning signs to watch for. Check out our video about some of the things to be on the look our for.
Things to be concerned about
You may have noticed a change in your friend’s behaviour, or what they’ve been saying recently. Here are some examples that might help spot what your find could be going through.
Self-harm
If you’re worried that a friend might be self-harming, it can feel scary. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to handle this by yourself.
Self-harm is often a way someone tries to cope with very strong feelings. They may feel overwhelmed or stuck and not know how else to show it.
This doesn’t always mean they want to die. Self-harm means someone needs care, understanding and support.
If you think a friend might be self-harming, the most important thing is to get help.
You can encourage them to talk to a trusted adult, like:
- a parent or carer
- a teacher or school counsellor
- a health professional.
Let your friend know you care and that help is available.
It can also help to learn more, so you feel more confident about what to say.
You don’t need to have all the answers to be a good friend. But you can find youth friendly information and support through services like headspace.
Supporting a friend who is self-harming can be hard. It’s okay to ask for help for yourself too.
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What are some warning signs? transcript
What are some warning signs you should look out for?
I think don’t underestimate the small things.
If they’re not sleeping as well, they’re coming more detached.
If they start to sleep a lot, if they look really exhausted, if they’re not themselves.
If they’ve decided to become more distant from you or your friend group.
If your friend is isolating, not really enjoying activities as much as they would, reduction in social capacity or their engagement with the general activities that they love to do.
If they’re constantly posting on social media and then all of a sudden they stop, you might kind of go, why aren’t you posting these memes today? Are you alright?
They’re not as energised in training.
They’re not doing well on their subjects.
It’s the small things that build up to the bigger things. And I think you know your friends well.
You know if it’s your close friend you can really tell that something’s wrong with them. And just a matter of asking and making sure they’re okay.
It’s a lot better to misjudge that and be a bit too considerate than leave them alone and do nothing at all.