It is a frightening call to receive — a loved one reaches out and admits they are having suicidal thoughts.
But how you respond could save their life, according to mental health experts.
Now a new, free, online training course aims to equip everyday members of the community with the confidence and knowledge on how best to help those in need.
The course, provided by the Gold Coast Primary Health Network (GCPHN), covers what to say if you are contacted by someone who is contemplating suicide, and how to recognise the warning signs in friends, colleagues or strangers.
Gold Coast man Ben Le Fevre has taken those heartbreaking calls.
He said on three separate occasions he had been contacted by friends on some of their darkest days.
"One particular friend rang me, he was in the car park of a supermarket nearly in a foetal position, rocking, and he just didn't want to be here anymore," Mr Le Fevre said.
"He had a wife, family, just a really successful guy. He didn't want to go see a doctor, he was in that position where he was lost.
Mr Le Fevre, who owns a solar panel company, said he decided to do the online course so that he would know exactly what to say if one of his friends needed help in the future.
"I guess for me, it was to do that little bit of training, to make sure I was giving the right advice," he said.
Chance meetings can save lives
GCPHN chief executive Matt Carrodus said the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training was aimed at ensuring more people got the help they needed — and at equipping ordinary people in the community with the skills to help those who were struggling with their mental health.
"We can't rely solely on health professionals and specialists," he said.
"It's those episodic chance encounters with people, friends and family, that can make a real difference."
Ask the hard question
Mr Carrodus said the training gave people the confidence to ask the hard questions if they had reason to be concerned.
"People are really reluctant to say to someone, 'Are you thinking of killing yourself?', but … that is the most important thing to say. Be really upfront, be open about it," he said.
"There's a real stigma that you shouldn't ask people if they're thinking of killing themselves.
The Gold Coast suicide rate is in line with the state average, but above the national average.
Over a two-year period from 2017-19, there were 278 deaths by suicide in the Gold Coast public health catchment area.
Males accounted for 65 per cent of suspected suicide deaths.
Be open about mental health
Mr Le Fevre, who plays social AFL at Broadbeach Old Boys, said men needed to open up more about their mental health.
"I've definitely been encouraging a lot of people around the footy club to take up the training," he said.
The GCPHN is offering 1,400 spaces in its course, but it hopes to increase that number.
"We'd like to think we can make this an ongoing program and just get as many people in the community to undertake the course as possible" Mr Carrodus said.
