What should I do if I'm worried about someone's immediate safety
hello • 9 September 2020
If you think someone is having thoughts of suicide, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are. Asking the question does not lead to suicide.
It’s not an easy question to ask, so if you don’t feel confident, a good first step is to call a crisis helpline to seek some immediate advice - view the Find Help page for a list of available services.
How do I ask?
“People in situations like this may be thinking about suicide. Have you thought about killing yourself?”
If they say yes, the most important things for you to do are to:
- keep them safe – do not leave them alone
- get them some immediate professional help.
To keep them safe, remove any dangerous items from their physical location, particularly if they have mentioned a suicide plan.
If they share details of their plan with you, don’t agree to keep these or their suicidal thoughts a secret.
Keep talking and listening to them. Be positive about the role professionals can play in helping them through tough times. You can say things like:
- “I think it’s time to link in with someone who can support you. I can help you find the right person to talk to.”
- “You’re not alone. We can figure this out together”
- “Who’s a person you trust? I would like to call them so we can both help.”
Getting them to professional help can start with any of these options:
- Calling a crisis support line together
- Going with them to an Emergency Department
- Going with them to a community centre or recovery centre
- Taking them somewhere that feels safe to them but where they won’t be alone.
If you believe their life is in immediate danger or you are finding the situation difficult to manage, call 000.
After ten years of teamwork, partnerships, growth, and countless conversations, I will be stepping down as CEO from 1 December 2025. It has been an extraordinary privilege to contribute to the growth of this movement and to witness meaningful change before my eyes. Gavin Larkin founded R U OK? because he believed conversation has the power to change lives. One seemingly simple question, when asked with genuine intent and care, can start a meaningful and sometimes complex conversation. And that’s what Gavin wanted. For people to look beyond responses of “I’m fine” or “All good” and ask, “Are you really OK?”. The notion of going deeper with conversations, of asking a second time, of trusting our guts and moving past our hesitation - is being grasped and moving beyond one day to any day. Whilst saying “G’day how are you?” will always be a greeting - we can do more. When Gavin lost his father to suicide he wanted to try and protect other families from the pain his endured. He wanted to get people talking and having real chats about how they’re feeling with their mates, their family and their colleagues. In locker rooms, lunch rooms, and lounge rooms across the nation. But he approached it from a different angle. Gavin wanted all of us to have the confidence to support the people we care about who might be struggling with life. To make conversations a natural part of our behaviour, to openly show our signals of support. So as R U OK? generations continue to evolve, my chapter is coming to a close. How fortunate I am to have been part of the story. From hesitant glances during presentations in 2015 to queues of people waiting for a conversation in 2025. From yellow wigs in the office, to welcoming yellow-swathed Ambassadors to share their lived experience. From yellow coffee cups in a café, to yellow cars driving into communities nationwide. And yes, there’s been a few cupcakes along the way. Social change is happening, and we are all a part of it. No one organisation can prevent suicide, no one individual can save everyone - but the power of many can make a difference.
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