When to reach for more support

Droplet is a place to write, notice and reflect. It is not therapy, and it is not crisis care. It can’t diagnose anything, and it can’t respond in an emergency. Writing can be a real comfort, but some moments call for a person, and it is always okay to reach out.

Where can I get help right now?

If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

If you’re in crisis:

Aotearoa / NZ

• 111 Emergency
• 1737Text 1737 Need to talk? (free, 24/7, call or text)
• 0800 376 633Text 234 Youthline (free, 24/7, or text 234)
• 0800 543 354Text HELP to 4357 Lifeline NZ (7am to midnight, or text HELP to 4357)
• 0508 828 865 Suicide Crisis Helpline (7am to midnight)

Australia

• 000 Emergency
• 13 11 14Text 0477 13 11 14 Lifeline (24/7, call or text 0477 13 11 14)
• 1300 22 4636 Beyond Blue (24/7)
• 1800 55 1800 Kids Helpline (24/7, ages 5 to 25)

United Kingdom

• 999 or 112 Emergency
• 116 123 Samaritans (free, 24/7)
• Text SHOUT to 85258 Shout (free, 24/7)

United States

• 911 Emergency
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call, text or chat at 988lifeline.org, 24/7)
• Text HOME to 741741 Crisis Text Line (free, 24/7)

Anywhere

• findahelpline.com: your nearest free, confidential service

Hours are local time. Services and hours can change, so if a line doesn’t answer, try another one on the list or your local emergency number.

You can also call these lines if you are worried about someone else (NHS).

What are the warning signs of suicide?

The US National Institute of Mental Health lists signs that someone may be thinking about suicide (NIMH). They include:

• Talking about wanting to die, feeling great guilt or shame, or being a burden to others.
• Feeling empty, hopeless, trapped or like there is no reason to live; extremely sad, more anxious, agitated or full of rage; or in unbearable emotional or physical pain.
• Changes in behaviour, such as making a plan or researching ways to die, withdrawing from friends, saying goodbye, giving away important things, taking dangerous risks, extreme mood swings, eating or sleeping more or less, or using drugs or alcohol more often.

NIMH advises getting help as soon as possible if these signs apply to you or someone you know, especially if they are new or have increased recently.

If you notice these signs in yourself, please don’t wait to see if they pass. Reach out to one of the services above, your GP, or someone you trust today.

How do I know if I need more help?

You don’t need to be in crisis to deserve support. Most people go through periods of feeling down, and a low mood can lift after a short time. The NHS describes depression as feeling persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days. It can include losing interest in things you used to enjoy, feeling hopeless or tearful, and physical signs like tiredness, poor sleep and low appetite (NHS).

The NHS encourages seeing a GP if you think you may be depressed, and not delaying, because the sooner you get help, the sooner you can start to feel better (NHS).

It can also help to ask yourself a few gentle questions:

• Are my feelings getting in the way of work, study, relationships or looking after myself?
• Have the things that usually help, including writing, stopped helping?
• Am I coping in ways that worry me?
• Has someone who cares about me said they are concerned?

If the answer to any of these is yes, that is a good reason to talk to someone. In New Zealand, you can see your GP, or call or text 1737 any time to talk with a trained counsellor (Health New Zealand).

What is a safety plan and how can it help?

A safety plan is a short, personal, prioritised list of coping strategies and people to contact, ready for when things get very hard (Stanley et al., 2018).

A large US study followed people who visited veterans’ hospital emergency departments with suicide-related concerns. Those who made a safety plan with a clinician and received follow-up phone calls had 45% fewer suicidal behaviours over the next six months, and were more likely to attend mental health care, than people who received usual care. It was a comparison between hospitals rather than a randomised trial, but the results are encouraging (Stanley et al., 2018). The NHS also suggests that making a safety plan may help if you struggle with suicidal thoughts or are supporting someone who does (NHS).

If you can, making a plan with a health professional is a good way to do it. The NHS also points to online guides and templates for making one yourself (NHS), and you can start one while you feel steady. Your Droplet journal can be a quiet place to draft it, and to keep noticing how you are really doing.

Try this

1. Save the helpline for your region in your phone now, while you feel steady.
2. Write down two or three people you could contact if things got hard.
3. Note a few things that help you get through a tough hour, like a place, a person or an activity.
4. Keep this list somewhere easy to find, and update it whenever you like.

This article is general information and not a substitute for professional care. If you need more support, see When to reach for more support.