If Someone You Know is Feeling Suicidal

Do not leave a suicidal person alone. Contact a crisis centre or take the person to a hospital emergency room. Involve others. Do not try to handle the crisis alone.

Thank you for getting in touch. You may not be aware the Centre for Suicide Prevention is a library and resource centre and does NOT do crisis intervention or counselling. The information here is not a substitute for professional counselling. We strongly advise you to seek help from a professional caregiver if required.

Get help right away

If a person is actively suicidal (they have a plan and the means to carry it out), get help immediately. Call a crisis service, the police, or take the person to the emergency room of a hospital. Talking with a youth who is suicidal.

If the person has attempted suicide and needs medical attention, call 9-1-1 or the emergency number for your area.

Do not leave a suicidal person alone.

Involve others. Do not try to handle the crisis alone. Get help from family, friends, clergy, teachers, counsellors, doctors, crisis lines, mental health services or a hospital emergency department.

Helping a suicidal person is stressful. You may need to get support for yourself. Seek help from family and friends or call 211 for information on community services in Alberta.

Further information:

After a crisis: short-term strategies
After a crisis: long-term strategies