Three Tips to Help if a Work Colleague appears Suicidal

It can be a really scary moment if a friend or colleague tells you they ‘want out of here’ they’ve ‘had enough’ or ‘want to die’. Your mind starts can start to race as you try and ascertain just how serious they are. As a healthcare worker chances are, you won’t take any chances and will take them seriously and so here are 3 useful tips to guide you if this happens:

1. Gently ask for clarity of their intentions. Be sensitive, but do ask direct questions such as ‘Are you thinking of hurting yourself?’ or ‘Are you thinking about suicide?’. Don’t be afraid to ask. You won’t be putting ideas in their head as studies show that asking people if they are thinking about suicide does not increase their suicidal thoughts.

2. Listen without judgement. Don’t be tempted to try and find a solution to their distress, don’t tell them to ‘cheer up’ or ‘come on you’ll be fine’ and don’t try and change the subject.  Empathise with them and acknowledge their pain. You could say something like ‘I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but I am here, I care, help me understand’.

3. Take Action. If your colleague is clearly in crisis don’t leave them on their own. Keep them safe by continuing to talk to them, remove any items they might harm themselves with and immediate seek professional support. Call 999 or if you think you can, take them to their nearest A&E.

Mathias CW, Michael furr R, Sheftall AH, Hill-kapturczak N, Crum P, Dougherty DM. What’s the harm in asking about suicidal ideation?. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2012;42(3):341-51. doi:10.1111/j.1943-278X.2012.0095.x