Suicide Prevention

If someone’s life is in danger, or there is an immediate risk of harm, call emergency services on 000.

Life poses many challenges. It is normal to feel overwhelmed sometimes by the problems you are facing.

If these feelings become too much you may start to have thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life. There are steps you can take to move through these difficult feelings.

If you are supporting somebody else and you are worried that they might harm themselves, or are considering ending their life, there are things you can do to support them. There are also services specifically tailored to provide support to you. 

Who can I call 24/7 to talk about my suicidal thoughts or feelings?

It can be really challenging to speak about suicidal thoughts and feelings, but the staff are trained to have these conversations.

There are a number of ways you can communicate with these services, including telephone call, video call, text messaging, and online chat.

There can sometimes be a wait time associated with contacting these services (i.e. being on hold), which can be distressing. As frustrating as it might be, it may be worthwhile waiting until you can express your thoughts and feelings to someone who can listen and help you make a plan to feel safe until you can access further support.

SuicideLine Victoria            

1300 651 251

  • Phone calls
  • Video counselling
  • Online chat

Suicide Call Back Service

1300 659 467

  • Phone calls
  • Video counselling
  • Online chat

Lifeline Australia

13 11 14 

  • Phone calls
  • Online chat
  • Text messaging 

I am struggling with suicidal thoughts and feelings, but I don’t know how to ask the people in my life for help. How do I start these difficult conversations?

You can call or message 24/7 mental health services if you want to talk to someone about how to start a conversation about the way you have been feeling. It can feel really hard to talk about suicide, but it’s a really important conversation to be able to have to keep yourself safe.

SuicideLine Victoria

1800 651 251

Suicide Call Back Service

1300 659 467 

Lifeline Australia

13 11 14

Beyond Blue

1300 22 4636

There are a number of online resources you can look at in your own time with practical tips about how to approach telling someone that you have been thinking about suicide.

Beyond Blue:

Talk about it 

Talking to someone about your suicidal feelings

SuicideLine Victoria:

How to talk about suicide 

Better Health Channel:

Information about suicide, ‘Talking to someone about your suicidal feelings’:

healthdirect:

Talking to your doctor (GP) about mental health 

What resources can I use on my phone or computer to help me with my suicidal thoughts or feelings?

You can use Safety Planning apps on your phone, or access them online to create a readily available, customisable plan to keep yourself safe when you feel overwhelmed by feelings of suicide. These apps will guide you through the process, offering suggestions along the way, and you can update your safety plan as many times as you want to.

You can work through these apps on your own, or with another person, e.g. a family member or a health professional.

Beyond Now

Beyond Blue safety planning app 

ReMinder

Suicide Call Back Service safety planning app 

Somebody I know is having thoughts of suicide, who can I call 24/7?

If there is no immediate danger, but you still have concerns, you should speak to a health professional.

If the person you are supporting has mental health supports already in place (e.g. a case manager, psychologist, or GP) you should contact those healthcare providers and let them know about the concerns that you have.

If you are unsure if the person has mental health supports, or you cannot get in touch with those providers, you can call your local Area Mental Health Psychiatric Triage phone number to speak to a mental health professional about your concerns.

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne provides Area Mental Health Service to the LGA’s of Yarra and Boroondara. Psychiatric Triage for St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

St Vincent’s Psychiatric Triage: 1300 558 862.

  • If you do not live in the LGAs of Yarra or Boroondara you can find the appropriate Area Mental Health service for your Local Government Area (LGA) at this website

(Note: this link provides details for Adult Area Mental Health services, i.e. for people aged 16 – 64)

As a friend/ family member/ supporter of someone who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts you can also access suicide prevention services for guidance. These services operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and you can access them by telephone, video call, online chat function and text messaging.

SuicideLine Victoria            

1800 651 251

Suicide Call Back Service

1300 659 467

Lifeline Australia

13 11 14

Beyond Blue

1300 22 4636

I’m worried that someone that I support is feeling suicidal. Who can I call to get advice or support for myself?

It can be very challenging and personally taxing to support somebody who is experiencing thoughts of suicide. There are a number of services that can provide support tailored to those caring for people who are struggling with their mental health.

These services can provide telephone support, resources to increase your knowledge about mental illness and the mental healthcare system, self-care tips and in some cases funding to support you in your role as a carer.

Please note that these telephone lines do not operate 24/7 but information is always available on the websites. If you need support outside of business hours, you can call a service which operates twenty four hours a day, seven days a week (see above).

Carer Gateway

1800 422 737

  • You can use the website to request a call back within one business day
  • Phone line operates from 8AM – 6PM, Monday – Friday (excluding public holidays)

Tandem Carers

1800 314 325

  • You may be eligible to access funding through the Tandem Carer Support Fund
  • Phone line operates from 9AM – 5PM, Monday – Friday (excluding public holidays)

Mind Australia

1300 554 660
  • Phone line operates from 9AM – 5PM, Monday – Friday (excluding public holidays)

It can be really difficult starting conversations about mental health with others. These support services above can help you tackle those conversations. You can also look at these online resources to help yourself feel confident in initiating that conversation.

Lifeline: I’m worried about someone

Beyond Blue: Having a conversation 

RUOK? How to ask 

How can I access St Vincent’s Mental Health services?

People who live within the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Yarra and Boroondara are able to access St Vincent’s Mental Health services.

  • For those who reside outside of these LGAs, you can find the appropriate Psychiatric Triage telephone number on this website. 

If you think you need support managing your mental health you can call St Vincent’s Psychiatric Triage telephone number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak to a mental healthcare professional about your feelings and experiences. Depending on your individual circumstances, they may refer you to a different mental health team within St Vincent’s Mental Health service, or recommend you engage with alternative supports (i.e. seeing your GP to arrange a Mental Health Care Plan).

For GP referrals contact St Vincent’s Psychiatric Triage: 1300 558 862

There can sometimes be a wait time associated with contacting this services (i.e. being on hold), which can be distressing. As frustrating as it might be, it may be worthwhile waiting until you can express your thoughts and feelings to someone who can listen and help you make a plan to feel safe until you can access further support.

If you would rather speak to a health professional that you already have a relationship with (e.g. your GP or psychologist), they can make a referral to Psychiatric Triage on your behalf if that is the most appropriate pathway for you to access the support you need.