Worried someone is thinking about suicide
If they’re in danger now, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK, even if you’re not with them; you’ll need to give a location. If you can, stay with them until help arrives.
If this is about you, not someone else: Someone to talk to.
In the US, 911 reaches the center where you are. If they’re in another town or state, call the police where they are on their 10-digit number, from that police department’s website.
Call too if they’ve taken something or seriously hurt themselves, even if they seem fine and even if they ask you not to.
- In the US, say what has happened. If they’re hurt or have taken something, ask for an ambulance. If it’s a mental health emergency, say that too. If police are sent, ask for officers with Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training, if your area has them.
- In the UK, say what has happened. If they’ve taken something or are hurt, ask for an ambulance. If you believe their life is at risk, say so plainly, and why.
- Stay on the line. The call-taker may tell you what to do until help arrives.
Not sure if it’s an emergency? You can call 988 (US). In the UK, call 111 (England and Wales; in Scotland, if you’re with them), Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 (Northern Ireland), or Samaritans on 116 123, and talk it through.
Jump to: You can’t reach them · They have a plan · You’re under 18 · Helplines for you
With few exceptions, 911 calls cannot be transferred to other towns, cities or states. The best option to obtain emergency assistance in a different state, county or city is to dial the 10-digit phone number for law enforcement in the community where assistance is needed. Those numbers can be found on the local law enforcement agency’s websites.
If you learn that someone has taken steps or is about to take steps to end their life, call 911 immediately.
If someone has hurt themselves and you think their injuries are life-threatening, call an ambulance on 999. You can do this whether you are with them in person or not. You will need to be able to give a location.
Call 999 or go to A&E now if:
- someone's life is at risk – for example, they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose
- you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe
A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one. You will not be wasting anyone's time.
If you’re under 18
Tell a trusted adult now, like a parent, a teacher or a school counsellor. Do it even if your friend asked you to keep it secret: their safety comes first.
If they’re in danger right now, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK). In the US, 911 reaches the center where you are; if they’re in another town or state, the call is to the police where they are, on their 10-digit number. If they live somewhere else, or you only know them online, also tell an adult straight away, so they can help you get help to where your friend is.
It isn’t your job to fix this on your own.
If your friend is in danger, their safety comes first. That means it’s okay to tell a trusted adult, even if your friend has asked you not to.
You should tell someone if:
- they’ve said they want to hurt themselves or end their life
- they're in immediate danger to themselves or others
- they've told you about abuse or neglect
If someone tells you that they are going to kill themselves, do not leave them alone. Do not promise that you will keep their suicidal thoughts a secret—tell a trusted friend, family member, or other trusted adult.
Call 911 if there is an immediate life-threatening situation.
You’re not responsible for what your friend does, and you should never feel responsible for making them stop or change.
In the US, you can call or text 988 about a friend, any time.
In the UK, Childline is for anyone under 19:
Childline (UK)
0800 1111 · 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Lots of young people talk to us when they’re worried about someone else, and that’s always okay.
Our confidentiality promise is the same whether it’s about you or someone else. We’ll always try to tell you if we’re worried about someone else’s safety. And we can talk about ways to keep the other person safe.
If they have a plan, but nothing has happened yet
Treat it as urgent: act today, not tomorrow. If they’re about to act, or you can’t keep them safe, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK) now. In the US, if they’re in another town or state, call the police there on their 10-digit number.
- Stay with them if you can. If you can’t, ask someone they trust to be with them.
- If you feel able to, remove anything they could use to hurt themselves. If they’re holding something, don’t try to take it by force: call 911 (US) or 999 (UK).
- Help them reach help today. Call or text 988 together in the US. In the UK, call 111 together (in England and Wales, choose the mental health option; in Northern Ireland, call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 instead), or Samaritans on 116 123. Or help them get an urgent appointment with their doctor or mental health team.
- If you can do it safely, you can take them to an emergency room (A&E). Don’t let them drive themselves.
Stay with them while they're feeling distressed if you can. Or share the responsibility with others, if the person you're supporting is comfortable with that. If you can't be with them in person, you can arrange to check in over the phone or text regularly.
Ask them directly
Use plain words: “Are you thinking about suicide?” Naming it out loud doesn’t plant the idea. It tells them you noticed, and that you can handle the answer.
Studies show that asking people if they are suicidal does not increase suicidal behavior or thoughts.
Listen, and take it seriously
- Listen more than you talk. You don’t need the right words or a fix.
- Don’t promise to keep it secret. You may need to get them help.
- Don’t act shocked, lecture them, or argue about whether life is worth living.
Do not worry about having the answers. Just listening to what someone has to say and taking it seriously can be more helpful.
- Be non-judgmental. Don’t debate whether suicide is right or wrong, or whether feelings are good or bad. Don’t lecture on the value of life.
- Don’t act shocked. This will put distance between you.
- Don’t be sworn to secrecy. Seek support.
Make things safer
If you think they’re at risk right now, get emergency help. If you feel able to, stay with them, and remove anything they could use to hurt themselves.
If they’re holding something they could hurt themselves or you with, don’t try to take it by force. Keep yourself safe, and call 911 (US) or 999 (UK).
If you're worried that someone is at immediate risk of taking their own life, if you feel able:
- Remove anything they could use to harm themselves
- Stay with them, even if that's online or over the telephone
- Get emergency help
Take action. Remove means, like weapons or pills.
Help them connect
Help them find support that lasts beyond today: their doctor, a therapist, or someone they trust. Save 988 (US) or Samaritans’ 116 123 (UK) in your phone and theirs.
HELP THEM CONNECT: Connecting the person with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) and other community resources can give them a safety net when they need it. You can also help them reach out to a trusted family member, friend, spiritual advisor, or mental health professional.
Helplines help worried friends and family too
You can contact a helpline about someone else, and talk through what to do. Here is what each says, in its own words.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US)
Yes, the 988 crisis counselors provide caring support and resources for family, friends, caregivers, and advocates who reach out about another person they are concerned about.
On whether responders are sent, the same FAQ says:
If you or the person you are calling about is in physical danger, your 988 counselor will contact 911 for emergency services support.
Samaritans (UK)
116 123 · Any time, day or night, every day of the year
If the person you are worried about is in immediate danger, for example if they have hurt themselves, call an ambulance on 999. This is the quickest way to get help, but we can call an ambulance on your behalf, if you prefer.
When it isn’t an emergency, the same page says:
You can also suggest they call us. We’re here to listen, no judgement, no pressure, no matter what they’re going through. They can call us for free on 116 123. Our lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year.
Or you can ask us to call them on their behalf. If we call and somebody else picks up, we won’t leave a message.
Shout (UK)
Text SHOUT to 85258 · 24/7
If you are worried about someone you know and would like support, you can text SHOUT to 85258 to speak to us.
Call emergency services: if yours or someone else’s life is at imminent risk, call 999 immediately.
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) (UK)
0800 58 58 58 · 5pm to midnight, every day
It is free. The helpline is for people over 18. Outside its hours, call 999 in an emergency or Samaritans on 116 123.
Our helpline team are there for people over 18 who can’t see a way forward, people who have lost someone to suicide, and people who are worried about friends or loved ones.
In the UK: your nation’s own line
NHS 111 (England)
111 · 24 hours a day
People of all ages, including children, who are in crisis or concerned family and loved ones can now call 111, select the mental health option and speak to a trained mental health professional.
NHS 111 Wales
111 · 24 hours a day
If you need to talk to someone urgently about your mental health, or you’re concerned about a family member, call NHS 111 and select option 2 to be placed in direct contact with a mental health worker in your area.
NHS 24 (111 in Scotland)
111 · 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
If you’re phoning on behalf of someone else, make sure you’re with them at the time of the call.
Lifeline (Northern Ireland)
0808 808 8000 · 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Family, friends or colleagues can also call Lifeline if they are worried about someone and need advice on how best to help.
If you can’t reach them
If you think they’re in danger right now, call 999 (UK), or in the US call 911 if they’re in your area, or the police’s 10-digit number where they are if they’re not. Give the location where you think they are. If they’ve told you they’ve taken something, or you think they’re hurt, say so and ask for an ambulance.
If you’re worried, and you can’t tell if it’s an emergency:
In the US
You can call the police non-emergency number where they live and ask for a welfare check. It will be police who go. You can also call or text 988 about them, and talk through what to do.
NAMI, writing for families, says the following. If they live somewhere else, the call is to the police where they live.
Check on the welfare of your family member if you are worried about her or can't reach her. Call the non-emergency number for the police department in your community and explain why you are concerned. Ask them to conduct a welfare check.
NAMI’s HelpLine first lists other options, such as 988, an emergency department and local crisis services, then says the following. If they’re in another town or state, the call to make is still their police’s 10-digit number.
If the above options are not available in your community, or if your loved one or another person is in immediate physical danger, call 911. Be specific that you are calling about a mental health emergency. 911 will produce the fastest response, but it will be a police response.
In England and Wales
Police now go out to a welfare call mainly when there is a real and immediate risk to someone’s life, or of serious harm. If that is what you believe, it is an emergency: call 999, tell them you believe there is a real and immediate risk to their life, and say why: what they told you, or what you’ve seen. If you’re turned down and you still believe it, call again. A coroner’s report in 2025 described a case where the request was refused and the risk was real, so don’t let one “no” end it.
to protect people, when there is a real and immediate risk to the life of a person, or of a person being subject to or at risk of serious harm
The same approach in Wales
In December 2022, all chief constables in Wales and England agreed to implement the Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) approach, aimed at ensuring individuals with health or social care needs receive support from appropriately trained professionals rather than police officers, except where police have a statutory safeguarding role where an immediate risk is identified.
If it isn’t an emergency: if they’re under a mental health team, call that team. You can also call 111 and choose the mental health option.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland
If you believe their life is at risk, call 999 and say why. If they’ve taken something or are hurt, ask for an ambulance.
In Scotland, NHS 24 on 111 asks that you be with the person when you call for them.
In Northern Ireland, family and friends can also call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 for advice.
Afterwards, stay in touch
Keep checking in, especially after a crisis or after they come home from hospital. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation.
FOLLOW UP: Staying in touch with the person after they have experienced a crisis or been discharged from care can make a difference.
Look after yourself too
This is a lot to carry. You can talk it through with someone yourself: 988 in the US, or Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK. It’s okay to step back for a while and let others help.
It’s important to take care of yourself when you are supporting someone through a difficult time, as this may bring up difficult emotions. If it does, please reach out for support yourself.
It’s okay to decide that you are no longer able to help someone and to let them know you won’t be contactable for a while.
Back to Support: every crisis line we list, and small things that help right now.