Suicidal thoughts – What to do as a relative?

Introduction

Suicidal thoughts occur with many people and do not always have to be immediately dangerous, but one should still remain alert. People with mental illnesses such as depression or schizophrenia are particularly often affected. These thoughts are not only very stressful for the person affected, but also for the relatives who have to deal with them.

As this is not something you usually experience every day, dealing with the topic is often very difficult and can quickly become overwhelming. It is therefore important to seek professional support at an early stage. But how exactly do you proceed in such a situation?

What should I do if a relative expresses suicidal thoughts?

First of all, one should know that addressing suicidal thoughts or plans will not harm those affected and will not encourage them to actually take their own lives. On the contrary, one should not be afraid to speak openly about this topic. For the person affected, it is usually a relief to finally find a contact person.

During the conversation one should try to find out whether there is an acute danger. There are two central questions that can be asked: With these two questions it is easier to assess how acute and dangerous the situation is. If the person concerned has already made plans or even made preparations, he or she should go to a psychiatric clinic with in-patient treatment as soon as possible, out-patient treatment is no longer useful here!

Ideally, the affected person agrees and you can accompany him or her to the psychiatric clinic yourself, under no circumstances should you leave him or her alone. However, if the situation is too dangerous, especially because there is a danger to oneself or others, it is advisable to alert the rescue service, which will then call the police if necessary. However, not all those affected are acutely endangered, many have only vague suicidal thoughts at first.

In such a case it is especially important to listen very well, to have a lot of patience and not to condemn or not to take the affected person seriously. One should try to be understanding and not build up moral pressure. It is best to take your time and have a quiet conversation in a private, protected place where the person concerned feels comfortable.

Such a situation requires a lot of courage from the listener and can be overwhelming. As a relative, you do not have to search for the reason for these thoughts or the solution to the mental illness. The support provided by listening already plays a major role.

The next step is the search for help. If you try to take the responsibility on your own, it can happen that you get into a mental crisis due to the stress. – Are there or have there already been concrete suicide plans? – Are there or have there already been suicide attempts?