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Keeping yourself safe on days when you feel suicidal is about knowing what to do when you have suicidal thoughts. Being in a safe place can help reduce the risk of acting on suicidal thoughts.  Identify places you can go, such as a friend’s, family member’s home, or your therapist's office. You can use these helpful safety plan cards to remind yourself where to go.  If you can’t get somewhere safe, call your local emergency number (911) or a suicide hotline. Your ease of access to potentially harmful items can make it more difficult to resist self-harm behaviors.  Remove blades or weapons from your or the home immediately.  Remove medications if you might use them to harm yourself. Feeling disconnected or alone can lead to suicidal thinking. Increasing your sense of connection may help to reduce thoughts and actions related to suicide.  First identify people or agencies you can call including: specific family members, friends, healthcare professionals (doctor or therapist), emergency numbers (911) and suicide hotlines. Then go down the list and start calling each person or agency. Try your close family members friends, or therapist first (if you are currently safe and not planning on harming yourself). Identify how others can help you, such as: taking you to the hospital, talking with you about your feelings, comforting you, distracting you, and cheering you up. Social support may be one of the biggest factors that reduce suicidal thoughts and actions. So anything you can (that is safe) to get support from your loved ones during this time. Talk to a friend, spend time with your family, be around people who support and love you. If it feels like you don't have anyone to support you right now, call your therapist or a service such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK). These people have been trained in supporting people who feel vulnerable and can help. It's often the case that LGBTQ people, especially LGBTQ youth, lack a strong social support system. If you're an LGBTQ youth and don't feel like you have anyone to turn to, call the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386, or go online to chat with a professional. Warning signs, or triggers, can be thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or situations that make you feel out of control or lead to thoughts of suicide. Understanding what your triggers are is an important step in preventing suicidal thoughts, and learning to cope if you have them.  Stress is a common predictor of suicidal thoughts. Ask yourself if you have suicidal thoughts when you are very stressed or overwhelmed with your current situation. Identify situations that may increase your thoughts of suicide and avoid these. Some examples might be: arguments or issues with family members, staying home alone, stress, depressed mood, relationship issues, work or school issues, and financial concerns. Avoid any of these triggers if you can. Part of keeping yourself out of harm is using appropriate coping skills when you do have thoughts of harming yourself. Think about what has helped in the past and identify the best ways to cope.  Identify ways to make yourself calm and soothe yourself. Some ideas might include: exercise, talking to a friend, journaling, distraction, relaxation techniques, deep-breathing, meditation, and mindfulness. Then use those skills! Religious and spiritual coping skills (prayer, meditation, attending services, religious traditions) have been shown to be a large protective factor against suicide.  Do not use alcohol or other substances to cope. Using substances can increase your risk of suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Self-talk is a crucial component of coping with thoughts of suicide. You have the power to change your mood through your thoughts. Identify some things you can say to yourself (especially reasons to stay alive) right now and when you have thoughts of self-harm in the future.  What would you say to a friend that was feeling this way? You might say something soothing such as, “I know this is so hard for you right now, but things will get better; you aren’t always going to feel or think this way. It will pass. I will be here for you in the meantime. I love you and I want you to live and be happy.” Some examples of positive self-talk you can use include, “I have many reasons to live. I want to be there for my family and friends. I have plans for the future and things to accomplish that I haven’t yet.” Thinking that suicide is immoral or wrong is a protective factor against suicide, but it can also make you feel guilty for thinking about it.  If you believe that suicide is morally wrong, remind yourself of this value you hold, but tell yourself that you're not a bad person for feeling suicidal. You could think or say to yourself, "I know I have moral beliefs against suicide, but it's not my fault I feel like killing myself.  I will give myself a break and learn to cope with my thoughts and feelings in ways that don't cause me harm." The belief that you have social support is also a protective factor against suicidal thoughts and actions. Remind yourself that you are loved and cared about. You could say to yourself, "I am loved. My family loves me. My friends love me. Even if I think or feel that they don't right now; I know deep inside that they do. They do not want to see any harm come to me and they would be very upset if I was harmed."
Get somewhere safe. Remove harmful items. Go to someone for help. Reduce triggers. Use coping skills that work for you. Talk positively to yourself.