What is true: safety planning includes…?

From the book – Chapter 18: Mental-Health Emergency and Safety

The right answer

Removing dangerous items, identifying support people, and a safe place to go

Creating a safety plan

A safety plan is written in advance with the person, family, and professionals. It may include:

• Warning signs that a crisis may be developing (not sleeping, isolating, increased substance use).

• Internal coping strategies (breathing, walking, calling a friend, prayer).

• People to contact (family, friends, therapist, doctor).

• Professional resources (clinic address, phone numbers, emergency department).

• Steps to make the environment safer.

• Reasons for living (family, goals, faith, responsibilities).

Review and update the plan periodically.

Read the full chapter – Chapter 18: Mental-Health Emergency and Safety

Stories from real life

• The Message to the Team – Dev, 24, a colleague of Mira's in Mumbai, sends a late message that says, "Tell the team I am sorry for everything. I won't be a…
• The Night the Neighbour Stopped Sleeping – Mrs Dsouza, 45, in Bengaluru, had been unwell for years and stopped her medicine last month. For four days she has not slept, believes the neighbours…
• Too Much, Too Fast – At a college party in Goa, Kunal, 20, drinks heavily after his friends dare him. Later he is slumped on a sofa, hard to wake, breathing…
• Four Lines on a Card – After a hospital stay, Anjali, 32, in Delhi has made it through a very dark week. Her counsellor suggests building a safety plan together on one…

More on this topic: Mental health crisis and suicide prevention – what to do

More questions

• The Message to the Team – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
• The Night the Neighbour Stopped Sleeping – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
• Too Much, Too Fast – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
• Four Lines on a Card – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
• The Sixteen-Year-Old's Notebook – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
• Why emergency knowledge is crucial?
• Understanding recognising suicide risk – mental-health emergencies
• What to do if someone may be suicidal?
• Listen and validate – what to do if someone may be suicidal
• Ask directly about suicide – what to do if someone may be suicidal