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"I'd noticed that my mate had
been acting pretty differently for
a while, and I knew he had some issues
with depression in the past, but
I was hesitant to bring it up
with him. I didn't want to make
him feel worse and, honestly, I
didn't know how to help him.
I think a part of me was worried that
if he told me he was really struggling,
I'd have no idea what to do. So I
held off for a long time, until
I didn't see him at uni for quite
a while and he stopped replying to my
texts. I ended up going to his
place to see him one night. We
went for a drive, and I finally told
him I was worried about him. After
a long talk, he eventually told me
that he'd been thinking about suicide.
I was gutted to hear that, and I didn't
know what to say, so I just told
him that I was there for him and
that if he wanted to talk about
it, I was there to listen. He told
me that he felt relieved, and we
talked about places he could turn to for
help. He started seeing a psychologist
recently, and he said that it's helping.
I also check in on him from time to time
to see how he's going and to let him
know that I'm there."
 

Suicide can be a really difficult topic
to talk and think about, but it's
important that we do, as suicide
is the leading cause of death for young
adults in Australia. Suicide affects
not only individuals but entire
communities, and for each person who
dies by suicide, many more are affected
by their loss. Having suicidal thoughts
can be incredibly frightening and
distressing. It's important to understand
that even though suicidal thoughts are fairly
common, feeling this way is a sign that
you need to get help and support from
other people.

People who are thinking about suicide
may say or do some of the following
things. This is just an indication
and may help you recognise if
someone you know is struggling.
These include telling you that they want
to end their life or that they don't see
the point anymore or no longer wanting
to be around; feeling hopeless, angry,
or trapped; engaging in risky behaviors or
acting reckless; dramatic changes in
mood or sleeping patterns;
increased use of drugs or alcohol;
withdrawing from family and friends;
feeling no purpose in life or a reason
for living; and giving away possessions.
Sometimes people don't show any
indication that they're feeling suicidal.
People can feel suicidal for many
different reasons. These feelings can
be triggered by traumatic or distressing
events, such as a relationship breakup.
Some people can find it difficult to
find a way through emotional pain
or can't see any hope for the future.
 

There are lots of myths and
misconceptions around suicide. Some
people believe that talking openly
about suicide can make the problem worse.
This is not true and can provide a much
needed opportunity for someone who's
feeling suicidal to get the
understanding and support they need.
People who have suicidal thoughts may
feel as though nothing can help them.
However, it's important to know that
people who are having thoughts of
suicide can get support, and having
suicidal thoughts doesn't mean that
they will last forever.

If you've been struggling with thoughts
of suicide and feeling overwhelmed,
it's important to have a plan in place
for when things are tough or if you feel
like there's no way out. A safety plan
is a way of bringing together all of
your coping tools. Many people find
that making a safety plan can be helpful,
even if they're not struggling at all. A
safety plan is a convenient way to map
out all of the resources available to
you in case you have a rough time or
feel stressed in the future.
It involves recognising your warning
signs; making your surroundings safe;
writing down reasons to live; things that
make you feel strong; people and places
you can connect with; family and friends
you can talk to; and professional
supports you can access. A template for
preparing your own safety plan is
included with this module if you
need it.

It can also be hard to know how to
support a friend or loved one who might
be thinking of suicide. In addition
to looking out for the warning signs,
here are some tips for how to talk to
a friend about suicide. Tell them
that you're here to listen to them
and want to understand how they
feel. It's okay to ask someone directly
whether they're thinking about suicide.
Listen non-judgmentally and encourage
your friend to talk to someone about how
they feel. This can be a health
professional, someone within their hall
of residence
, if they live on campus,
or a parent or relative or another trusted
person. If you are worried about their
safety, you may need to tell them that
you are going to get help for them
yourself, either from a local crisis
mental health team or through lifeline
or triple zero. Continue to check in
with them later to see how they're going.
Make sure you remember to look after
yourself, too. It can be hard and feel
overwhelming when someone close to you
is thinking about suicide. Lifeline and
other support services are also there
to support you as well. You can also
check to see whether your university
offers crisis support services as well.

Thanks for watching.

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