What Not to Say to the Attempter for Friends of Loved Ones

What you should not do or say to a loved one of a suicide attempter

Don’t tell them

  • Their loved one didn’t want to die
  • That you know how they feel if you truly don’t
  • What they should or shouldn’t be doing
  • What they should or shouldn’t be feeling or thinking
  • How to act
  • What they should have done or said different before the attempt
  • Their loved one will go to hell
  • They will go to hell
  • Do not use religion or God as a weapon

Do not

  • Ignore them or the situation. It is ok to ask about the suicide attempt and to ask about the attempter and their health. Do not just pretend as thought nothing has happened.
  • Make assumptions about what lead up to the attempt
  • Make assumptions about how your friend is feeling or what they are thinking

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