Someone I know has expressed suicidal thoughts. What should I do?

crisis loss and grief

The pandemic, the war in Ukraine and inflation are creating a general sense of crisis that is depressing lots of people. Anyone who is also affected by a personal difficulty can experience strain so significant that their individual tried and tested coping strategies are no longer enough, at least for the moment.

Feelings of anxiety, excessive stress and helplessness occur. For those affected, this can be so terrifying that they even start to think that suicide would be a way out.

Sometimes it’s just a thought that is quickly put out of the person’s mind. Sometimes, though, when these problems really restrict people, this thought becomes more specific and they start to consider the pros and cons. In most cases, the person says something, drops hints or even openly discusses their thoughts and intentions.

Arin Sharif-Nassab explains “it’s important to talk to the person as soon as they drop even a hint about suicide. Ask them how serious it is for them and talk to them about the underlying anxieties and problems,” recommends the expert. The fear people sometimes express of offending someone with this question or causing them to think about it in the first place is unfounded. Quite the opposite – talking to someone about their internal despair and their suicidal thoughts is almost always a real relief. It’s also important to approach people if you notice they are withdrawing completely from their social life. “Verbalise what you see. Offer to talk to them.”

If you see that the suicidal thoughts are very serious, you should recommend talking to a specialist as the next step, for example at a crisis intervention centre where they can access psychotherapeutic and medical assistance. Experience has shown that crises can be well managed in this way, suicidal thoughts can be banished and life can take a positive turn.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you can make a free appointment in one of the numerous Austrian family counselling centres. As well as our interview partner from the Kriseninterventionszentrum Wien, you can also find a list of hotlines and points of contact that can help you and an acute mental health crisis on the website oesterreich.gv.at.