Worried about someone?

If they may hurt themselves or are thinking about suicide

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline recommends five action steps for reaching someone who may be in crisis.

Five action steps³⁵

1. Ask. Ask them directly: "Are you thinking about suicide?" Asking shows you're willing to talk about it without judging them.
2. Be there. Show up for them, in person, by phone, or in other ways that show support. Only promise what you can actually follow through on.
3. Help keep them safe. If they are thinking about suicide, find out what you need to know to keep them safe right now, including reducing access to things like firearms and medications.
4. Help them connect. Help them link up with ongoing support, like the 988 Lifeline and resources in their community, so they have a safety net in a crisis.
5. Follow up. After they've been connected to support, check back in. Leave a message, send a text, or give them a call to see how they're doing.

Learn more about each step, and the evidence behind them, from the 988 Lifeline's #BeThe1To guide.

If they were sexually assaulted

If someone tells you they were assaulted, the Office on Women's Health (OWH) suggests listening, reminding them that you believe them and that it was not their fault, and asking whether they would like you to go with them to the hospital, to counseling, or to the police.²⁶⁰

Many of the next steps are their choice. Except where the law requires a report, a U.S. Department of Justice protocol for sexual assault exams says deciding whether to report to police is the patient's decision.²⁵⁷

• Getting medical care, and why timing can matter, in our guide to what to do after a sexual assault.
• What you can do: a short list of next steps from the same guide.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

If they seem very depressed or anxious

If they talk about suicide or hurting themselves, use the five action steps above. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is also there for people who are worried about someone else.¹¹

How you can help

• Set aside a time to talk with them, express your concern, and reassure them of your support.³⁸³ Ask questions and listen, and remind them that help is available and that mental health problems can be treated.³⁸⁴
• If they are depressed, NIMH suggests helping them see a health care provider or mental health professional.³⁸² For anxiety, NIMH says it's time to seek professional help if it starts to cause problems in everyday life, such as at school, at work, or with friends and family.³⁸³
• Offer support, understanding, patience, and encouragement, and help with practical things, like making sure they have a way to get to therapy appointments.³⁸²
• Keep including them: SAMHSA suggests continuing to invite them to your plans without being overbearing, even if they turn you down, and offering to help with everyday tasks.³⁸⁴
• Be patient. NIMH notes that managing anxiety may involve setbacks along the way, and that with time and treatment, depression can lift.^383,382

Our self-checks are for people to use on their own, about themselves. They aren't a way to assess someone else, and only a health professional can diagnose depression or anxiety.

• Finding mental health care: what to do after a self-check: where to start, and the kinds of help available.
• Questions to ask your doctor, if they have an appointment coming up.