Support for Self Harm and Suicidal Feelings
Warning: Information on self-harm and suicide may be potentially triggering or upsetting to read.
If your life is at risk right now
If you feel like you might attempt suicide, or may have seriously harmed yourself, you need urgent medical help.
If you are on your own, reach out now to someone you trust
Call 999 for an ambulance
Go straight to your local Accident & Emergency or Emergency Department if you can
Speak to your health professional or local crisis team for help
If you can’t do this by yourself, ask someone to help you.
It is important you get help.
Mental health emergencies are serious. You are not wasting anyone’s time.
Crisis Support
If you feel in crisis, phone emergency services or a crisis hotline.
Northern Ireland & UK
- Call: 0808 808 8000 Lifeline. 116 123 The Samaritans
- Text: 85258 SHOUT, the 24/7 UK text support service
- Email: jo@samaritans.org. It may take several days to receive a reply by email.
Ireland
- Call: 1800 247 247 Pieta 24/7 Crisis helpline. 116 123 The Samaritans
- Text: HELP to 51444 the Pieta Free 24/7 Crisis helpline
- Email: jo@samaritans.org. It may take several days to receive a reply by email.
Mind the Mental Health charity has created some useful tools to support young people during a crisis.
It is important that if you are concerned about a child or young person who self-harms or is experiencing suicidal thoughts that you support them with seeking help from either a general practitioner (GP) or other mental health practitioner.
- Mental Health Support: The GP or mental health practitioner can get you support from specialist services such as talking therapies, the community mental health team and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy which focuses on emotional regulation. Mind, a UK based mental health charity has created some useful tips for talking to your GP about mental health issues Talking to your GP about mental health – Mind
- Be aware of autistic persons normal – so that you can determine any changes from their ‘usual’ patterns of behaviour around sleep, appetite etc.
- Support communication – for example using visual aids to support person with identifying and expressing how they are feeling.
- Journaling – It can be helpful for the autistic children and young people to write or draw some of their thoughts. This can help family and medical professionals to know the situations or feelings which make the person feel like harming.
Organisations that offer information and advice for friends and family
- Mind – for friends and family of someone who self-harms
- Mind – call 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 (9am to 6pm on weekdays)
- YoungMinds – parents’ guide to self-harm support
- YoungMinds Parents Helpline – call 0808 802 5544 (9.30am to 4pm on weekdays)
- Self-injury Support (for women and girls)
- The Self-Injury resource library
- CALM (for men)
- British Medical Association – coping with self-harm: a guide for parents and carers (PDF, 3MB)
- University of Nottingham – It’s Okay to Talk about Self-harm leaflet
Read previous: ← Suicidal Feelings & Autism