What to do if you can’t get through to suicide helpline

Young people struggling rightly turn to helplines. But what do you do if you can’t get through?

Young people experiencing suicidal thoughts often, rightly, turn to helplines where trained professionals can help.

Crisis supporters at Lifeline consistently answer more than 90 per cent of calls from people experiencing crisis, suicidal ideation or dark thoughts.

But sometimes lines can be busy and waiting can be difficult. Experts say there are things young people can do in those rare circumstances where a helpline is not immediately available.

Text lines are available

Lifeline Australia’s head of crisis services and quality Rachel Bowes says the people needing help should stay on the line if possible and wait to speak to a crisis supporter.

If that is not possible, Lifeline also offers Text and Chat services.

The Lifeline Text line is 0477 13 11 14. More information is available at lifeline.org.au.

“Lifeline’s contact answer rates are consistently over 90 per cent, so I would recommend that anybody who needs help stays on the line if possible and waits to speak to a Crisis Supporter,” Ms Bowes said.

“Alternatively, they can make contact using one of Lifeline’s other channels such as Lifeline Text or Chat.”

Associate Professor Jo Robinson, who leads the youth suicide prevention research group at youth mental health service Orygen, also recommends texting if phone lines are busy or a young person is unable to wait.

“We recommend people seeking crisis support from a helpline don’t give up at the first hurdle,” she said. “Try multiple helplines (listed at the bottom of this article). Crisis text lines are quite accessible for young people, too.”

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Talk to somebody you trust

Trained professionals know how to handle calls for help. But often a trusted person can be helpful in a moment of crisis.

“People could consider reaching out to existing supports in the form of friends, family and professionals,” Ms Bowes said.

It is a sentiment shared by those at Prof Robinson, who said asking for help is the most important step.

“We encourage people to think, ‘Who can I reach out to?’. It could be a friend, a teacher, an uncle, anybody you can trust and feel comfortable talking to.”

Orygen has created a guide, co-developed by parents and carers of young people, as well as young people themselves, that can help family members and friends cope when a young person is self-harming or experiencing suicidal thoughts.

The guide can be downloaded here.

Use the emergency department

Hospital emergency departments are not ideal environments for young people seeking professional counselling but if a person is considering self-harming or suicide they should take themselves to the ED.

“If all else fails, that’s what EDs are for,” Prof Robinson said. “We know they’re not ideal environments, but they will keep young people safe.”

She said a number of hospitals, including St Vincent’s in Melbourne, are developing safe spaces at hospitals for young people experiencing suicidal thoughts.

“They’re a great idea. They just provide a good alternative. It’s a place where somebody can be kept safe that is staffed by peer support staff. They’re good in the moment of crisis.”

She suggested a person who is considering harming themselves or others should call triple-0.

Trained professionals know how to handle calls for help.

Develop and use a safety plan

Experts say safety planning can help in a crisis and that young people can benefit from following a plan when they are experiencing suicidal thoughts.

The plans, which have been evaluated to be quite successful, are used preventively by a young person who feels like they might be in crisis at a later date.

They offer step-by-step guides that include things that will help a young person through a period where they need help.

“They include things like what to do to self soothe, maybe that is taking the dog for a walk or listening to music,” Prof Robinson said.

“If that’s not working, they list who a person can reach out to. A friend or a relative or a teacher. The next step might be a list of professionals and then crisis-type intervention if those things haven’t worked.”

She said a safety plan should also include removing access to a means of suicide.

“People can be quite impulsive in the moment. Often, if you were doing a safety plan, you would recommend that those things are removed.”

Beyond Blue has an app for creating a safety plan called Beyond Now. Download the app here.

Originally published as What to do if you can’t get through to suicide helpline