WOMEN’S SPECIALIST PSYCHOTHERAPIST Private Online Therapy · Worldwide · Brisbane-Based Client resources. Thinking about suicide? You deserve the right help.
If you’re having thoughts of ending your life, you’re not alone. Those thoughts are a sign of how much pain you’re in, not a sign that things can’t change. This page will help you get the right support quickly, and work out what might be sitting underneath how you feel.
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Call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department now. If you can, stay with someone, or ask someone to come to you.
To talk to someone straight away, any time: 1300 MH CALL on 1300 642 255 (Queensland mental health clinicians, 24/7), Lifeline on 13 11 14 (or text 0477 13 11 14), or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
Please note: I’m a psychotherapist, not a crisis service, and I can’t respond to emails or messages straight away. Please use these numbers instead. See where to go, and how fast ▾
PART 1WHAT YOU MIGHT BE FEELING
When the pain feels bigger than you.
Thoughts of suicide don’t always look the way people expect. Here are some of the ways people describe them.
- “I just want the pain to stop.”Most people who think about suicide don’t want to die. They want the pain to end, and can’t see another way right now.
- “Everyone would be better off without me.”Feeling like a burden is one of the most common things people describe. It’s the pain talking, not the truth.
- “I’m so tired of holding it together.”Especially if you’re the capable one, the one others lean on, and no one can see how hard it’s become.
- “I feel nothing at all.”Numbness, flatness or feeling cut off from everyone can be just as painful as despair.
- “The thought came out of nowhere and scared me.”Unwanted thoughts that horrify you are different from wanting to die. They’re common with anxiety, but they still deserve to be talked about.
- “It’s happening more often.”If the thoughts are getting stronger, more frequent or more detailed, that’s your sign to get help today, not someday.
If any of this is you, please hear this: thoughts of suicide are common, they can pass, and people do come through them. Feeling this way right now doesn’t mean you’ll always feel this way.
Suicidal thoughts or intrusive thoughts? How to tell the difference.
Not every frightening thought about dying means you want to die. Anxiety can cause intrusive thoughts that feel shocking but are the opposite of what you want. Knowing which you’re having helps you get the right help.
Suicidal thoughts, often linked to depression
- The thought can feel like it makes sense, or even like relief: a way to make the pain stop.
- It usually comes with hopelessness, numbness, low mood most days, or feeling like a burden.
- You may find yourself drawn to it, thinking it through, or making plans.
- It tends to get stronger when you’re low, exhausted or alone.
What to do: get help today. Call 1300 MH CALL on 1300 642 255, Lifeline on 13 11 14, or see your GP. If you might act on it, call 000.
Intrusive thoughts, caused by anxiety
- The thought is unwanted and horrifies you. It goes against everything you want.
- It arrives suddenly, often as a “what if…?”, like “What if I lost control and hurt myself?”
- You don’t want to die. What frightens you is the thought itself, and what it might mean about you.
- You try to push it away, check yourself, avoid things or look for reassurance, and the harder you fight it, the stickier it gets.
What to do: tell your GP, so other causes can be ruled out. Intrusive thoughts caused by anxiety are something I treat. More on intrusive thoughts.
PART 2WHERE TO GO, AND HOW FAST
Match the help to how you’re feeling.
If you’re not sure which of these fits, choose the more urgent one. Nobody will think you’re overreacting.
- Right now · don’t wait
Call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department
- You feel you might act on your thoughts, or you’ve made a plan
- You’ve already hurt yourself
- You don’t feel you can keep yourself safe tonight
- You’re seeing or hearing things others don’t, or feel very confused, ‘high’ or racing
Call 000. If you can, tell someone near you and don’t stay on your own. If you’re supporting someone, stay with them.
- Today
Talk to a mental health clinician or crisis counsellor
- The thoughts are strong, or coming more often, but you’re safe for now
- You haven’t slept for a couple of nights
- You’ve recently started, stopped or changed medication
- You ticked something in pink on the checklist
Call 1300 MH CALL on 1300 642 255. They can arrange an urgent assessment. You can also visit a crisis support space at some Queensland hospitals, or ask your GP for a same-day appointment.
- This week
Book a long appointment with your GP
- The thoughts come and go, and you’re able to keep yourself safe
- You’ve felt low, numb or anxious most days for two weeks or more
- You want to get to the bottom of what’s driving how you feel
Take your printed checklist. If you can’t get in quickly, walk in to a free Medicare Mental Health Centre (no appointment or referral needed), or call 1800 595 212.
PART 3WHAT MIGHT BE UNDERNEATH
It’s rarely just one thing.
Suicidal thoughts usually build when several things stack up, until the pain feels bigger than your ability to carry it. Working out what’s contributing helps you get the right help for each piece. Tick anything that might apply, even a little, then print your list and take it to your GP. Your ticks aren’t saved anywhere and disappear when you close this page.
AYour body and your medicines
Worth ruling out early, because a physical cause or a medication change can make everything feel darker, and some of these can be treated quickly.
Reducing or stopping an antidepressant, especially if it’s done quickly, can cause withdrawal symptoms. For most people these settle within a few weeks. But for some, they’re severe and last for months. This is called protracted withdrawal.
It can start days or weeks after the last dose, and it can bring low mood, anxiety, agitation, insomnia and suicidal thoughts. In rare cases, mania or psychosis has been reported. Because it can look exactly like depression coming back, it’s easily mistaken for relapse, and it isn’t yet widely recognised, even by some health professionals. I’ve experienced this myself, and so have many of my clients.
What helps: reduce slowly, in small steps, with your prescriber, and ask about a gradual tapering plan. If you’ve reduced or stopped an antidepressant in the past year and you feel worse, ask your GP: “Could this be withdrawal?”
Some people notice low mood, anxiety, flatness or, occasionally, suicidal thoughts after starting semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or similar medicines. The research is still catching up: reports of depression have been flagged in drug-safety databases, while clinical trials haven’t shown an overall increase. That means it may not affect most people, but it’s worth knowing if it’s happening to you.
What helps: if your mood changes after starting one of these medicines, or after a dose increase, tell your prescriber. Don’t stop or change it without talking to them first.
BYour mental health
Thoughts of suicide often sit on top of something that can be treated. Naming it helps you get the right kind of help.
CThings that have happened to you
What you’ve been through matters. Some of these happened recently, and some may be years old but still with you.
DPressures in your life right now
Practical problems can feel overwhelming when you’re already struggling. Most of them have free, practical help.
ESupport that understands you
If any of these fit, these services are run by people who get it.
PART 4THE PATHWAY
Getting help, step by step.
You can start at any step. The first one matters most.
- Make a plan to stay safe
A safety plan is a short, personal list you write when you’re calmer, to use when things get hard: your warning signs, what helps, reasons for living, people and places that help, who you can talk to, how to make your surroundings safer, and which professionals to call. You can make one for free with the Beyond Now app, now run by Lifeline.
- Tell someone
A friend, a family member, your GP, or a counsellor on the phone. You don’t have to explain everything. “I’m not okay and I’ve been having thoughts of suicide” is enough to start.
- See your GP
Book a long appointment and take your printed checklist. You can say: “I’ve been having thoughts of suicide and I need help.” Ask about blood tests (thyroid, iron, B12 and hormones), a medication review, and a Mental Health Treatment Plan, which gives you Medicare rebates for sessions with a psychologist.
- Get the right ongoing support
That might be a psychologist, a psychiatrist (especially if medication hasn’t helped, or you have big mood swings), or a free Medicare Mental Health Centre. If depression hasn’t responded to treatment, ask your GP or psychiatrist about TMS, which is available as an outpatient treatment at Brisbane private hospitals.
- Work on the pieces underneath
Use your checklist to make sure each thing you ticked has someone helping with it: your GP for the physical causes, the right counsellor or service for what’s happened, and practical help for money, housing or legal worries.
Asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s the bravest, most practical thing you can do.
WHERE I COME IN
Safe first. Then the rest.
I want to be honest with you: I’m a psychotherapist, not a crisis service. I can’t provide emergency support, and I don’t monitor emails or messages around the clock. If you’re thinking about suicide, the services on this page come first, along with your GP.
Where I can help is with what often sits alongside those thoughts. Once you’re safe and connected with your GP or a mental health service, I work with anxiety, panic and the symptoms of trauma and PTSD: the constant alarm, flashbacks, nightmares, always being on guard, and unwanted intrusive thoughts. If anxiety is causing frightening thoughts about harming yourself, that’s something I treat. I work alongside your GP and treating team, not instead of them.
If we’re already working together, please tell me if you’re having these thoughts. I won’t be shocked, and I’ll help you get the right support. And if you’re feeling worse between sessions, use the numbers on this page rather than waiting for my reply.
WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE?
You don’t have to have the right words.
- Ask them directly
“Are you thinking about suicide?” Asking won’t put the idea in their head. It tells them it’s safe to talk.
- Listen without trying to fix it
Let them talk. You don’t need answers. Being taken seriously is often a relief.
- Get help together
If they’re in immediate danger, call 000 and stay with them. Otherwise, call 1300 MH CALL or Lifeline with them, or help them book a GP appointment and offer to go too.
- Look after yourself too
Supporting someone is hard. The Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 also supports people who are worried about someone else.
WHERE TO GET SUPPORT
Every number in one place.
All checked October 2026. If you’re outside Queensland, the Australia-wide services work everywhere; for 1300 MH CALL, use your own state’s mental health line or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
- Emergency000Police · ambulance · 24/7If you’re about to act on your thoughts, have hurt yourself, or someone else is in danger. Or go to your nearest emergency department.
- 1300 MH CALL1300 642 255Queensland · free · 24/7Queensland’s public mental health line. Mental health clinicians can give advice in a crisis, arrange an urgent assessment and connect you with your local mental health team.
- Lifeline13 11 14Australia-wide · 24/7Crisis support by phone, by text on 0477 13 11 14, or by online chat, all 24/7.
- Suicide Call Back Service1300 659 467Australia-wide · free · 24/7Professional counsellors by phone, online chat or video, for anyone thinking about suicide, worried about someone, or bereaved by suicide. Can offer follow-up sessions with the same counsellor.
- Beyond Blue1300 22 4636Australia-wide · free · 24/7Talk to a counsellor about depression, anxiety or anything that’s weighing on you, by phone or webchat.
- MensLine Australia1300 78 99 78Australia-wide · free · 24/7Phone, chat and video counselling for men, about mental health, relationships, stress and suicidal thoughts.
- 13YARN13 92 76Australia-wide · free · 24/7Crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- QLife1800 184 527Australia-wide · free · 3pm to 9pm dailyPeer support for LGBTIQ+ people, by phone and webchat.
- Kids Helpline1800 55 1800Australia-wide · free · 24/7For young people aged 5 to 25, by phone or webchat.
- Open Arms1800 011 046Australia-wide · free · 24/7Counselling for current and former Defence members and their families.
- Medicare Mental Health1800 595 212Australia-wide · free · weekdaysHelps you find the right mental health service. Free walk-in Medicare Mental Health Centres need no appointment or referral; the Brisbane centre is in Lutwyche, with more opening.
- Crisis support spacesQueensland hospitals · freeA calm, voluntary alternative to the emergency department if you don’t need urgent medical care, with peer workers and clinicians. Locations include the Princess Alexandra, Logan, Ipswich and Redland hospitals. Find one near you.
- Adis1800 177 833Queensland · free · 24/7Confidential alcohol and drug support, for you or someone you care about.
- DVConnect Womensline1800 811 811Queensland · free · 24/7If you don’t feel safe at home. Crisis counselling, safety planning and emergency accommodation. Men can call DVConnect Mensline on 1800 600 636 (9am to midnight).
- 1800RESPECT1800 737 732Australia-wide · free · 24/7Domestic, family and sexual violence counselling.
- Qld Sexual Assault Helpline1800 010 120Queensland · free · 7:30am to 11:30pmFor anyone affected by sexual assault or abuse, recent or in the past, and the people supporting them.
- Griefline1300 845 745Australia-wide · freeSupport for grief and loss of any kind.
- PANDA1300 726 306Australia-wide · free · 7 daysFor expecting and new parents and their families.
- Butterfly1800 33 4673Australia-wide · free · 8am to midnightSupport for eating disorders and body image concerns.
- Gambling Help1800 858 858Queensland · free · 24/7Counselling for gambling, for you or someone close to you.
- National Debt Helpline1800 007 007Australia-wide · free · weekdays 8:30am to 4:30pmFree financial counselling for bills, debt and money worries.
- Homeless Hotline1800 474 753Queensland · free · 24/7If you’ve lost your home or have nowhere safe to stay tonight.
- Legal Aid Queensland1300 65 11 88Queensland · weekdays 8:30am to 4:30pmFree legal information if you’re facing charges, a family law matter or other legal trouble.
- Relationships Australia Qld1300 364 277QueenslandCounselling and support through relationship problems and separation.
- Your GPYour starting pointBook a long appointment and take your printed checklist. You can say as much or as little as you’re ready to.
WHERE THIS INFORMATION COMES FROM
Sources.
Information on this page comes from Australian government and health services, and it follows Australia’s national guidelines for communicating safely about suicide.
- 1300 MH CALL: mental health access lineQueensland GovernmentQueensland’s 24/7 public mental health access line.
- Mental health crisis support spacesQueensland GovernmentLocations of crisis support spaces, a voluntary alternative to the emergency department.
- Lifeline’s crisis text service now available 24/7Life in MindLifeline’s text number, 0477 13 11 14.
- Phone and online counsellingSuicide Call Back ServicePhone, chat and video counselling, 24/7.
- Suicide safety planningBeyond BlueThe seven parts of a safety plan, and the Beyond Now app (now run by Lifeline).
- Medicare Mental Health Centres open on Brisbane’s northsideAustralian Government Department of HealthFree walk-in centres; no appointment, referral or mental health plan needed.
- Antidepressant utilisation and risk of suicide in young peopleTherapeutic Goods Administration, 2021Suicidal thoughts can emerge early in antidepressant treatment or after dose changes, with higher risk under 25.
- TMS clinicBelmont Private HospitalHow outpatient TMS for depression is accessed in Brisbane, and Medicare rebates.
- Distinguishing relapse from antidepressant withdrawalBJPsych Advances (Royal College of Psychiatrists)How antidepressant withdrawal can be mistaken for depression returning.
- The patient voice: antidepressant withdrawal symptoms often dismissed or misdiagnosed as relapseUniversity College LondonPeople’s experiences of withdrawal being missed.
- Antidepressant discontinuation-related maniaJournal of Clinical PsychiatryA review of mania reported after stopping antidepressants.
- GLP-1 medicines and depressive disorders: a pharmacovigilance studyeClinicalMedicine (The Lancet), 2025Reports of depression in drug-safety databases for GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide.
- Psychiatric safety of semaglutide for weight managementJAMA Internal MedicineClinical trials in people without known mental illness.
- Mindframe guidelinesEverymindAustralia’s national guidelines for communicating safely about suicide, followed in writing this page.
Pain this big can change. You don’t have to carry it on your own.
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