1. Ask directly if the person is thinking about suicide.
For example: “You seem very confused and sad lately. Could it be that you are having thoughts about suicide?”.
Be prepared for the person to answer “Yes.”
2. Ask them to tell you why they are having thoughts about suicide.
For example: “What happened that made you start thinking about suicide?”.
Ask open-ended questions and keep the conversation going (“Tell me more…”, “How did you feel at that moment?”, “What happened next?”).
Listen respectfully – with empathy and without judgment.
Don’t rush to solve the situation, listen carefully and try to understand what the person is going through.
3. Help them to find a mental health professional.
You can find contact details for help here: https://tuesi.lt/pagalbos-teikejai/
Help them to find a specialist and arrange an initial consultation.
Accompany them to the appointment – it will make them feel more confident.
4. Don’t take on all the responsibility by yourself.
Enlist the help of others (relatives and/ or specialists) – together it will be easier to persuade the person to seek help.
5. If you are unable to persuade them to seek help, contact specialists yourself and discuss what to do next.
If there is an obvious threat to the health or life of your loved one (he/ she has attempted or is planning to attempt suicide), call 112 immediately and call for help, or go together to the nearest hospital emergency department.