Making a safety plan

What is a safety plan?

A suicide safety plan is a document listing actions you can take when you are dealing with suicidal thoughts and feelings. Its purpose is to provide tools and ideas to help you cope and it lists ways to seek assistance when needed.

Writing your safety plan

If you can, work together with someone you trust – such as a close friend, family member, your doctor or counsellor to develop your suicide safety plan. It is a good idea to get these people involved, since you may need to call on them and it is important that they know the best way to care for you.

It is best to create the plan at a time when you are feeling well and thinking clearly, rather than waiting until you are feeling overwhelmed and suicidal. Put your suicide safety plan in writing and keep it in a place where you can easily find it.

What to include in your suicide safety plan

Here are some prompts to help you write your safety plan.

When to use your plan:

Think about the situations, thoughts, and feelings that might lead to suicidal thoughts. Make a list of warning signs so you can decide when to activate your plan. Examples include struggling with daily routines, feeling hopeless, arguing with people, having trouble sleeping, feeling like I don’t belong, or avoiding social contact.

Coping strategies:

List activities that help calm and comfort you when you’re feeling suicidal. Examples include exercising, playing sport, listening to podcasts or music, watching TV, taking a shower, or practising breathing exercises.

Reasons for living:

Create a list of all the reasons you have to keep going. This can help shift your focus away from pain during tough times. Examples include seeing your children grow up, your best mate, pets, or things you still want to accomplish.

People to talk to:

Make a list of trusted family and friends with their contact details, including backups if your first choice is unavailable. Also, consider places where you can connect with and be around other people, such as the park, library, sports ground, community centre, or a café.

Professional assistance:

List health and mental health professionals along with their contact details and availability in case you need professional help.

Creating a safe environment:

List steps to make your surroundings safe, such as securing items you might use to harm yourself and avoiding triggers that worsen your feelings.

Emergency contacts:

Keep the name and address of your nearest hospital emergency department and telephone crisis line in case you still don’t feel safe.

Here are some phone crisis lines that are free and available in Australia:

• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
• 13YARN 13 92 76
• Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

The Beyond Now suicide safety plan app

Beyond Now is a free app designed to assist individuals in creating a step-by-step plan to help them stay safe during moments of distress.

The app can help you create a structured plan that you can access and work through when you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or crisis.

It can help you:

• Recognise warning signs.
• Create a safe space.
• Identify reasons to live.
• Turn to internal coping strategies.
• Turn to socialisation strategies for distraction & support.
• Reach out to trusted contacts for help.
• Reach out to professional contacts for help.

How can Beyond Now help?

If you or someone close to you is considering suicide, a safety plan can be a reminder of the reasons to live and ways to stay safe.

Research has shown having a safety plan can be useful for reducing the intensity of suicidal thoughts and increasing people’s ability to cope with them.

By deliberately creating a personalised plan to stay safe, the tool enables you to reach for things and people that will help when facing your darkest moments.

Beyond Now is designed to be used as part of your overall mental wellbeing and safety strategy. It is not intended to be your only form of support. Ideally, you should work with a health professional or support person to create your plan at a time when you’re feeling calm and relaxed.

If you are in an emergency or at immediate risk of harm, please contact emergency services on triple zero (000).

How can I access Beyond Now?

You can download the iPhone App here.

You can download the Android App here.

You can access the web version here.

Accessing professional support

Feeling suicidal can be an overwhelming and painful experience, but it is not something you have to bear alone. Asking for help is an important step towards getting the support you need.

There are a number of services and professionals available to help you through this difficult time. You may wish to speak to someone over the phone or prefer to seek help face-to-face. A good first step is to speak to your doctor, or you can call a crisis helpline such as Suicide Call Back Service or Lifeline.

Here some directories to help you find the services and professionals you need:

• Lifeline service finder is a directory of free or low-cost health and community services available in Australia.
• Healthdirect service finder is a comprehensive directory of healthcare professionals and services in Australia.
• Head to Health can direct you to mental health support.

Whichever service you choose, be honest about your situation and the way you are feeling, so you can get the support you need. Talking to someone about such a painful issue can be difficult, so you may want to check out our How to Talk About Suicide page for information and tips on how to start the conversation.

If you are in immediate danger, or concerned for your safety in any way:

• Call 000 and request an ambulance. Stay on the line, speak clearly, and be ready to answer the operator’s questions.
• Go to your local hospital’s emergency department.

Remember that you are not alone, there is help and support available. Your life has value, and there are people who want to help you through this tough time.

If you need to talk to someone, give one of our MensLine Australia counsellors a call on 1300 78 99 78 or access online chat. Our service is free and available 24/7.

You can also call Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 . This free service provides 24/7 support to anyone feeling suicidal.  

If it is an emergency, call 000.