Get Listening
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, PLEASE CALL 000 IMMEDIATELY.
Do you have a mate that you haven’t heard from in a while? Or they may not seem themselves? There are many ways you can help start a conversation and support a mate.
“I've lost a lot of brothers and a lot of really close friends who think that asking for help was too too much of a burden. When the going gets tough, we suppress. We bottle up, we pop bottles, we find all these escapes that really are just another trap door.”
Dallas Woods
HOW TO START A CHAT
- Be relaxed, friendly and concerned in your approach.
- Help them open up by asking questions like "How are you going?" or "What’s been happening?"
- Mention specific things that have made you concerned for them, like "You seem less chatty than usual. How are you going?"
- If they don’t want to talk, don’t criticise them.
- Tell them you’re still concerned about changes in their behaviour and you care about them.
- You could say: “Please call me if you ever want to chat” or “Is there someone else you’d rather talk to?”
WORRIED YOUR MATE IS SUICIDAL?
People who have thought about suicide say the most important thing family, friends and colleagues can do is listen, show they care, and offer support. You don’t have to be a mental health professional. If a person you know seems to be struggling, reaching out and connecting with them could save their life.