Suicide concerns and prevention

Help for managing suicidal thoughts

Help and support is available right now if you need it. You don't have to struggle with difficult feelings alone.

Message a text line

If you don't want to talk to someone over the phone, these text lines are open 24 hours a day, every day.

  • Shout Crisis Text Line (for everyone): Text "SHOUT" to 85258
  • Call Samaritans for free – 116 123
  • YoungMindsCrisis Messenger (for people under 19): Text "YM" to 85258
  • For young people under the age of 35 or concerns a young person is thinking of suicide call Papyrus Hopeline 24/7 – 0800 068 4141 or text 07860 039967

For more support and advice visit the NHS website.

Talk to someone you trust

Let family or friends know what's going on for you. They may be able to offer support and help keep you safe. There's no right or wrong way to talk about suicidal feelings – starting the conversation is what's important.

Who else can you talk to?

If you find it difficult to talk to someone you know, you could:

  • Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option – this is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and the team will help you find the support and help you need
  • Call a GP – ask for an emergency appointment

Pick up the phone you're not alone

There's no simple explanation for why someone chooses to take their own life and it's rarely due to one particular factor. Suicide affects all types of people and communities, and is linked to a wide variety of factors including depression, alcohol and drug misuse, unemployment, family and relationship problems, social isolation and loneliness.

The impact of someone making an attempt to take their own life is wide reaching, and as members of communities, it's everyone’s responsibility to look out for those who may be struggling to cope with day-to-day life, and to encourage them to tell their story in their own way and at their own pace. Offering a gentle word of support and listening in a non-judgemental way can make all the difference.

The Suicide Prevention Zcard, designed by the Shropshire and Telford Suicide Prevention Network (with representation from across health, social care, emergency and blue light services, voluntary services, experts by experience amongst others), helps to raise awareness of the range of support available.

The Zcard provides:

  • Brief advice and guidance on how to address concerns
  • Contacts for a confidential, listening ear
  • Primary contacts to seek immediate appropriate support

The card is small enough to be easily carried in a wallet, purse or pocket so as to be used as a reference whenever needed.

Zcards are aimed at people of all ages who are experiencing suicidal thoughts, or who are concerned for others.

Useful resources

  • Free online Suicide prevention training (20-minute video on see, say, signpost). This is a great resource on how to identify risk and how to have difficult conversations. It has been widely shared across our networks
  • Help Is At Hand: national resource for support after suicide (physical cards available to order direct from the website for free).
  • Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership: resources for children and young people 
  • Suicide and suicidal thoughts - NHS information, advice, tools and links for supporting anyone concerned about suicide.

  • Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide - UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people. We believe that no young person should have to struggle alone with thoughts of suicide. The website contains help and advice for people feeling suicidal, for people worried about someone and for professionals.

  • Papyrus Hopeline - Hopeline advisers want to work with you to understand why thoughts of suicide might be present. They also want to provide you with a safe space to talk through anything happening in your life that could be impacting on your or anyone else’s ability to stay safe. This service is for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, and for anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide 

    • Phone: 0800 0684141
    • Text: 07860 039967
    • Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org

    This is a 24/7 service.

Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Suicide Prevention Strategy

The Shropshire Suicide Prevention Action Group has been established as part of the action plan in the Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Suicide Prevention Strategy. It's made up of representatives from across the public, voluntary & community, and private sector who are working together on key themes:

  • Access to support and prevention
  • Using data and information
  • Care plans
  • Self-harm
  • Engaging post suicide
  • Training
  • Communications and media

 The Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Suicide Prevention Strategy aims to:

  • Raise awareness of suicide risk, promote access to support services (including those bereaved by suicide) from a wide range of sources (not just health services)
  • Encourage more people to talk about self-harm, suicide and the risk factors associated with suicide in order to destigmatise and encourage people to seek help when they feel it is needed
  • Provide those who have a public facing role to have confidence in signposting people affected by suicidal thoughts to the services that could best help them