After a suicide attempt

Surviving a suicide attempt can bring a flood of feelings, for the person who survived and for the people who love them. It can also be a turning point. With care and support, many people go on to recover and build lives they value.

This page is for both the person who made the attempt and their family. It explains what to expect, why the weeks after leaving the hospital need extra care, how to make home safer, and how to rebuild over time.

For you: the first days

After an attempt, people describe many feelings. You may feel relief, shame, anger, sadness, numbness or embarrassment. You may still feel very alone, or like a burden.¹ Some people feel all of these on the same day.

These feelings are common, and you can talk about them. A guide from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for people treated in the emergency room covers these emotions, what happens after you leave, and how to cope if suicidal thoughts come back.⁸

Steps that help in the first days and weeks:¹

• Keep your follow-up appointments. Ask for one as soon as possible after you leave, ideally within days.
• Make or update a safety plan with your therapist or counselor. See our safety plan tool.
• Tell your provider about any suicidal thoughts, even if they seem small.
• Make your surroundings safer with help from family and your provider.
• Care for your body. Eat regular meals, move a little each day and keep a steady sleep schedule.
• Do things that calm you, such as time in nature, relaxation or music that lifts your mood.
• Let others help. Cut back on duties for now, and spend time with people who support you.

Why the weeks after the hospital matter

Leaving the hospital can feel like a relief. It is also a time of higher risk. A review of 100 studies found that suicide risk was highest in the first 3 months after leaving a psychiatric hospital. It was highest of all for people who had been admitted for suicidal thoughts or behavior.³

AFSP notes that the first 6 months after an attempt are especially critical, and that risk can stay higher for longer.² The problems that led to the crisis may still be there. Treatment may not have taken full effect yet. And there can be gaps before regular care begins.

Good follow-up makes a difference:

• In a study at 9 Veterans Affairs emergency departments, a safety plan plus follow-up phone calls was linked to about 45% fewer suicidal acts over 6 months.⁶
• In a study at 8 U.S. emergency departments, screening, safety planning and follow-up phone calls were linked to 30% fewer suicide attempts over a year.⁷
• In a trial of adults seen in the emergency room after an attempt, 10 sessions of cognitive therapy cut repeat attempts by about half over 18 months.⁵

Before you leave the hospital or emergency room, ask: "Who will call me after I go home, and when is my next appointment?"

Follow-up care: what to expect

Follow-up care often includes:

• Medical care for any injuries, and a visit with your primary care doctor
• Mental health care, such as therapy that focuses on suicide. Examples are cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS).
• A medicine review. Your doctor may adjust medicines for depression, bipolar disorder, sleep or pain. Ask how to store them safely.
• Treatment for related problems, such as depression, substance use, trauma or long-term pain

For older adults, follow-up should also look at all medicines, pain and other health problems, and at ways to stay connected with others. See Suicide risk in later life.

Learn more in Treatment to lower suicide risk. Never stop or change a medicine on your own. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before changing anything.

Making home safer

Many suicide attempts happen during a short-term crisis. Limiting access to dangerous items during that time saves lives.¹⁰ After an attempt, this step is especially important.

In general terms:¹⁰

• Ask a trusted person to store firearms outside the home until things improve. Where the law allows, local police may hold them.
• Ask a family member to keep medicines and hand out only what is needed.
• Remove or lock away other items that could be used for self-harm.

Ask the treatment team how to make the home safer for your situation.¹ Frame it as a temporary step that everyone agrees on, not a punishment.

For families: how to help

Seeing someone you love survive an attempt is a shock. You may feel anger, sadness, fear or guilt. These feelings are normal. Take care of your own emotional needs, and think about talking with a mental health professional yourself.²

SAMHSA has a guide for families. It explains what happens in the emergency room, how you can help the care team, and what comes next.⁹ Tell the team what you know, such as past attempts, current medicines and whether there are firearms at home.

Ways to support your loved one:^1,2

• Stay close, especially in the first few weeks. Visits are best, but calls, video chats and texts help too.
• Listen without judging. You do not have to fix everything. Simply being there matters.
• Ask how you can help. Use simple words: "I care." "I want to understand." "I'm here for you."
• Talk openly about what happened and about the plan to stay safe.
• Help with daily tasks, and help them cut back on duties for now.
• Support healthy habits, such as regular meals, sleep and gentle activity.
• Encourage contact with the care team, and help with rides or reminders.
• Be patient. Recovery takes time, and setbacks can be part of it.

See Helping someone who may be thinking about suicide, Supporting a loved one's treatment and When a family member is in a mental health crisis.

Returning to work or school

There is no set timeline. Some people go back within days. Others need weeks or a gradual return. Talk with your care team about what fits you.

At work. You decide how much to share. Under U.S. law, you can describe a health condition in general terms rather than give a diagnosis. Your employer must keep medical information private.¹¹ You may be able to get changes at work, such as a schedule that fits therapy visits, written instructions or working from home. Unpaid leave may also be an option.¹¹

At school. Meet with a school counselor, nurse or dean before going back. Plan how to catch up on missed work, who to go to on a hard day, and what to say if classmates ask.

A simple script can help: "I was dealing with a health problem, and I'm getting better. I'd rather not go into details."

Rebuilding and talking about it

Recovery is gradual, and it often comes with ups and downs.¹ Over time, many people find that rebuilding includes:

• Reconnecting with people who care about them
• Getting back to routines, such as meals, sleep and movement
• Finding purpose again, through work, family, faith, volunteering or creative activities
• Learning skills for hard moments, such as those in DBT
• Meeting others who have been through it, in a support group

Our values compass can help you think about what matters most to you now.

Talking about it. You get to choose who you tell and how much you share. Some people keep it private. Others find it healing to share their story. If you share with a group or online, it is safer to focus on what helped you recover rather than on details of the attempt itself.

Common questions

When to get help now

Thoughts of suicide coming back does not mean treatment has failed. It means it is time to reach out and use your plan. See If you are thinking about suicide.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.