When you’re caught in a wave of despair, it can be hard to think clearly. That’s why having a safety plan is so important.
A safety plan is a structured, step-by-step guide that’s designed to help you navigate a crisis and connect with support when you need it most. Whether you’re struggling with recurring suicidal thoughts or have experienced them for the first time, this easy-to-follow guide from the team at Eagle View Behavioral Health will help you create a personalized safety plan to support you during difficult times.
Step 1: Learn How to Recognize the Warning Signs of a Potential Crisis
Suicidal thoughts rarely appear out of nowhere, so it’s important to be proactive in monitoring how you’re feeling on a day-to-day basis. Studies show there are often warning signs leading up to a crisis. Some of the most common include:
- Feeling hopeless or like you are a burden to others. These persistent negative thoughts often reflect distorted thinking patterns where you believe others would be better off without you—a cognitive distortion that precedes suicidal ideation.
- Withdrawing from friends, family, or social activities. Social isolation can both signal and intensify emotional distress, creating a dangerous cycle where you lose access to support systems when you need them most.
- Increased use of alcohol or other addictive substances. Turning to substances often represents an attempt to numb emotional pain, but actually impairs judgment and can lower inhibitions against acting on suicidal thoughts.
- Giving away your personal belongings. For people who are thinking of ending their life, this is often a way to tie up loose ends.
- Sudden changes in your mood. A rapid shift from sadness to a feeling of calmness can counterintuitively signal increased risk, as it sometimes means you’ve decided on suicide and feel relief from that decision.
- Feeling compelled to research methods of self-harm or suicide. Actively seeking information about ways to hurt yourself represents a dangerous progression from passive thoughts to planning an attempt.
Step 2: Brainstorm Healthy Coping Strategies
When your mind starts to drift towards thoughts of self-harm, healthy coping strategies can help you refocus. Here are some ideas you might find useful:
- Distraction techniques. Examples of distraction techniques could include watching a funny TV show, reading a book, or playing a favorite video game. External stimuli can interrupt negative self-talk and other harmful thought patterns.
- Physical grounding. Taking a cold shower, holding an ice cube, or focusing on deep breaths can help anchor you to the present moment by creating strong physical sensations that demand your attention.
- Movement. Physical activity releases endorphins that naturally improve mood while also helping discharge emotional energy in a constructive way. Try going for a walk or dancing to your favorite music.
- Creative expression. Writing, drawing, singing, or playing music can be very helpful when you’re struggling with your mental health. Channeling difficult emotions into art or experiencing others’ creative works provides an emotional outlet and can help you process difficult feelings without self-harm.
- Comfort items. Gentle physical comforts such as wrapping yourself in a soft blanket, rubbing scented lotion on your hands, or drinking a warm cup of herbal tea activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This can help to calm your body’s stress response naturally.
Step 3: Identify Your Support Network
Reaching out for help can be difficult when you’re struggling, but having trusted people to turn to can make a huge difference. Your support network might include friends, family members, trusted mentors, a support group, and your therapist or counselor.
Write down at least three people you can reach out to in a crisis. Include their phone numbers and a plan for how you’ll contact them.
Step 4: Reduce Your Access to Means of Self-Harm
One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of suicide is to create an environment that limits access to harmful items. This could mean giving medications, sharp objects, or firearms to a trusted person or asking someone to hold on to anything that could be used in an impulsive moment.
If you live with others and drinking has been a problem for you in the past, it could also mean asking that no alcohol be left in your home. Research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration shows that 22% of all suicides involve alcohol intoxication. Impaired judgment is a well-known effect of drinking to excess, so eliminating this risk factor can be an easy way to stay safe when you are struggling with your mental health.
Step 5: List Your Reasons to Keep Going
When dark thoughts take over, you may forget why life is worth holding onto. Make a list of what’s important to you and why you’re working to improve your mental health. Your list could include loved ones, personal goals you’re working to achieve, things you enjoy, memories of happy times, or faith in a higher power. Write down at least five reasons to keep going and keep them somewhere accessible.
Step 6: Know How to Seek Professional Help
If your suicidal thoughts have progressed to the point where you are in immediate danger, you should go to the nearest emergency room. If you do not have adequate transportation, call 911.
If you are struggling with your thoughts but are not in immediate danger, calling or texting 988 connects you to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Free, confidential support is available 24/7—whether you need someone to listen or you want help finding treatment resources in your area.
Step 7: Keep Your Safety Plan Accessible
A safety plan is only helpful if you can easily find and use it. Save it as a note on your phone, keep a copy in your wallet, or write in your journal or day planner. It can also be a good idea to give a copy to someone you trust to help support you in a crisis.
You Are Not Alone
Suicidal thoughts don’t define you, and they don’t have to control you. Eagle View Behavioral Health understands that these thoughts may stem from underlying conditions such as bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety. At our Bettendorf, Iowa mental health treatment center, we take a personalized approach to healing that addresses the immediate crisis and focuses on each person’s unique needs. Reach out to us 24/7 for a free, confidential assessment.
