How to Create a Suicide Safety Plan

How to Create a Suicide Safety Plan Depression Suicide Print How to Create a Suicide Safety Plan By Nancy Schimelpfening Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be. Learn about our editorial policy Nancy Schimelpfening Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD on January 28, 2020 twitter linkedin Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Learn about our Medical Review Board Daniel B. Block, MD Updated on February 04, 2020 Mayur Kakade / Moment / Getty Images More in Depression Suicide Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Types Childhood Depression Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911. A suicide safety plan is a written set of instructions that you create for yourself as a contingency plan should you begin to experience thoughts about harming yourself. It will contain a series of gradually escalating steps that you will follow, proceeding from one step to the next, until you are safe. If you have depression, whether it has been diagnosed by a healthcare provider or not, there is a very real risk that at some point in the course of the illness you may experience thoughts of suicide. While the emotional pain that has triggered these thoughts may feel overwhelming, it does not mean that you will lose control or act on your thoughts. In fact, having a suicide safety plan in place is one method you can use to cope with your bad feelings until circumstances change. Tips for Creating a Suicide Safety Plan You should work together with someone you trustâ€"such as your best friend, a close family member, or your doctor or therapistâ€"to develop your suicide safety plan. It is best to get these people involved  since you will most likely need to call on them if you decide to execute your plan. Try to create the plan while you are feeling well and can think clearly, rather than waiting until you are actively suicidal. Put your suicide safety plan in writing and keep it in a place where you can easily find it should the need arise. Information to Include in a Suicide Safety Plan Your suicide safety plan should include several steps and be written in the order presented below. An example of each step is provided to help you think about what that step means for you. When the Plan Should Be Used The first step in creating your suicide safety plan is to familiarize yourself with the types of situations, images, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that might precede or accompany suicidal urges for you. List these warning signs so that you can refer back to them when deciding whether to activate your plan. Its also helpful to familiarize yourself with some of the risk factors for suicide in order to recognize these warning signs if present. A warning sign could be that you tend to isolate yourself and not take good care of your health when you get depressed. How to Calm/Comfort Yourself Create a list of activities that can be soothing to you when youre upset. If you cant think of any examples off-hand, you may wish to brainstorm and try some mind-body methods that have helped others such as breathing exercises or body scan meditation. Or take a look at ?different ways to reduce stress to see if any methods might be helpful for you. A few self-soothing ideas to consider: taking a hot bath, listening to music, or exercising. Your Reasons for Living Create a list of your reasons for living. When you are feeling suicidal, it is very easy to get caught up in the pain you are feeling and forget the positives in your life. Your list will help you refocus your attention on the reasons to keep going until your suicidal thoughts and feelings pass. Some people with or without depression find that keeping a gratitude journal is helpful. If you find yourself feeling suicidal, looking at what you have written may help you focus on the positives in your life until the feelings pass. Consider writing about blessings like your family, friends, dog, health, or faith. Who You Can Talk To Keep a list of contacts you can talk to if you are unable to distract yourself with self-help measures. List names, phone numbers, or other contact information and be sure to have backups in case your first or second choices are unavailable. Your list of trusted contacts may include your significant other, friends, relatives, or your religious leader. Who You Can Turn to for Professional Assistance Create a list of all professional resources available to you, along with their phone numbers, email addresses, and other pertinent contact information. This is also a good place to keep a number for a crisis hotline such as the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255). Members of your professional health care team can include your psychiatrist and your therapist as well as a crisis hotline. If you havent yet seen a mental health professional, take a moment to learn about the different types of therapists who care for people with depression and make an appointment today. Depression Discussion Guide Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctors appointment. Download PDF How to Make Your Environment Safe Plan what steps you can take to make yourself safe. This may involve removing or securing any items that you are likely to use to hurt yourself, or going to another location until the urges have passed. It may also involve getting another person involved to help you. If you feel like hurting yourself, you might plan to go to a public place like a mall, restaurant, or library to distract yourself. Or if you are feeling suicidal, you might ask someone to keep your gun at their house. What Can You Do If You Are Still Not Feeling Safe? If all other steps have failed to keep you feeling safe, go to your nearest hospital emergency room and ask for assistance. Keep the name, address, and directions to the hospital listed in your plan for easy access or save it in your GPS. If you do not feel that you can get to the hospital safely on your own, call 911 or the emergency contact number appropriate for where you live and ask for transport to the hospital. What to Do If a Friend Is Suicidal Many people with depression have friends who are coping with similar challenges. This could be a friend you have met in a depression support group, or simply a friend or family member you have known for a long time. After all, depression is common. After you have completed your own safety plan, encourage others who are coping with depression to create a plan for themselves. How to Help a Friend Who Is Feeling Suicidal How to Use Your Suicide Safety Plan If you begin to experience any of the warning signs of suicide listed in your suicide safety plan, proceed through the steps you have previously outlined for yourself, one by one, until you are feeling safe again. An exception would be if you are feeling out of control and are strongly thinking of suicide. In that case, it is best to call either a trusted friend who can be with you immediately or 911. While you will likely have your suicide safety plan in your home, there are now smartphone safety plan apps that you can take with you anywhere. These apps may be of particular benefit for younger people and those in regions where suicide support options are lacking. At the current time, however, we lack information on how helpful these apps are and some apps have been found to have potentially dangerous content. Plans such as Safety-Net appear to be more comprehensive, but its important to talk to your mental health professional as to whether they recommend one of these apps, and if so, which one they feel is best for you. Tips for Coping With Depression and Suicidal Thoughts