Scripts for Survival: 8 Ways to Ask for Help When You’re Suicidal or Struggling

3. Invite a Memory or Reflection

When depression is lying to you—telling you that you’re unworthy or unloved—counter it with truth from those who know you best. Sam suggests this phrase:

Sam suggested:

I’ve been feeling low. Could you please remind me what I mean to you or share a favorite memory? It would really help me.

This request might feel smaller or less risky than saying “I’m in crisis.” But the emotional impact can be huge. As Bridget shared:

Bridget explained:

My brain was just telling me horrid things about myself. I needed to stir in some positive, reality-based observations.

Bonus tip: Save the responses you get in a note or journal. You can revisit them later when you’re struggling.

This suggestion is powerful because it meets you where you are. It doesn’t require vulnerability beyond a simple ask. It allows others to reflect back your value when your mind refuses to see it — offering not only relief but sometimes even joy.

4. Sound the Alarm Clearly

When you feel yourself approaching a dangerous edge, don’t stay silent. Use direct and urgent language, like:

Sam advised:

I’m struggling right now and I’m afraid I’m reaching my limit. Can you give me a call (at a specific time)?

Sam elaborated on why this script is so vital:

How do I introduce something really scary in a way that doesn’t catch someone off guard but also honors that this is urgent?

This script provides:

• Urgency without panic
• Clarity without overwhelming detail
• A clear call-to-action

This phrasing lets you remain grounded while communicating that the situation is critical. It’s a crucial skill — to ask for help before you break. It respects your needs and the listener’s capacity to respond, and it sets a clear boundary around your needs.

5. Reach Out to an Acquaintance

What if you don’t have a close support system? Sam offers this script:

Sam suggested:

I know we don’t talk much, but I’m going through a tough time and I feel like you’re someone I can trust. Are you free to talk (specific day/time)?

Many people assume they have to wait until they’re “better” to form meaningful connections. Sam challenges that idea:

Sam explained:

If you wait until you’re what you think of as the ideal state to be enough for someone, you’re going to be waiting a really long time.

Consider this: Connection can grow because of vulnerability, not in spite of it.

By reaching out to acquaintances, you might not only get support — you might also forge a new friendship. It opens the door for connection in surprising places, and allows you to build a support network even during periods of struggle.

6. Be Direct: Say You Are Suicidal

When you’re in a life-threatening emotional crisis, subtlety has no place. Sam offers the boldest, most essential phrase:

Sam emphasized:

I’m suicidal. I need help right now.

He reminds us:

Sam explained:

An emergency is just an emergency. If it’s the difference between life and death, there’s no reason to apologize.

Too many people hesitate, afraid of being a burden or misunderstood. But as Terry stresses:

As Terry eloquently put it:

Everyone who’s lost someone to suicide would rather have been called at 2 a.m. than gone to a funeral.

Bottom line: If you’re in danger, say so clearly. People who care about you want to help.

A mental health emergency is no different than a physical one. If you broke your leg, you’d go to the ER. The same principle applies when your emotional pain becomes unbearable. Treat it like the emergency it is.

7. Let Go of Guilt and Stigma

One of the heaviest weights depression adds is the idea that you’re unworthy of support. But that’s not the truth—it’s the illness talking.

As Bridget shared:

Believing you are worthy — that’s the bottom line.

Sam affirmed:

Believing that you’re worthy of friendship right now and really asserting for yourself that you’re worthy of those connections — however you happen to be that day — is really, really important.

Ways to counter stigma-based thinking:

• Reframe help-seeking as strength, not weakness
• Remember that you would offer help to someone else
• Practice saying, “I deserve support.”

Letting go of guilt also means acknowledging that needing help isn’t a flaw — it’s a human experience. You don’t need to “earn” your right to support. You already have it.

8. Don’t Wait for Crisis to Reach Out

As Terry wisely pointed out:

Terry said:

Say you’re having a bad time way before you’re in a suicidal crisis… Nobody waits until they’re dying of cancer to ask for help.

Mental health needs maintenance. You don’t need to be at rock bottom to deserve care.

Consider reaching out when you:

• Start withdrawing socially
• Notice increasing negative self-talk
• Feel overwhelmed by small tasks

Think of it as preventive care.

Just like we get regular checkups to stay physically healthy, we need emotional check-ins to stay mentally balanced. The earlier we act, the more options we have — and the more likely we are to avoid a full crisis.

9. Remind Yourself You Are Not Alone

This podcast, like all episodes of Giving Voice to Depression, ends with the reminder that no one needs to suffer in silence.

As Bridget and Terry remind us:

If someone else is struggling, listen up. If you’re struggling, speak up.

Bridget and Terry model vulnerability with each episode, helping normalize these conversations. The scripts Sam provides are just that—starting points to make speaking up feel less scary.

Knowing that others have walked this path—and made it through—can be one of the most powerful reminders that healing is possible. You’re not weak for needing help; you’re brave for asking for it.

Final Thoughts

Sam Dylan Finch’s list doesn’t just help people survive; it helps them stay connected, grounded, and reminded of their worth. Whether you use the exact words or adapt them to your style, having these tools can be the bridge between suffering in silence and receiving life-saving support.

We encourage everyone—whether struggling or supporting someone who is—to bookmark, print, and share these scripts. You never know when you’ll need them. In moments of crisis, they can serve as lifelines. In everyday life, they can keep relationships strong and supportive.

As Sam shared from the heart:

Really and truly, if my friend had called and had said any number of the things on this list, there’s nothing I wouldn’t have done.

These words aren’t just Sam’s—they echo the sentiments of countless people who’ve lost loved ones to suicide. So let’s take them seriously. Let’s normalize asking for help. Let’s practice saying the hard things. Let’s make sure no one feels like they have to face depression alone.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “That sounds like something I might need one day,” take a screenshot. Email it to yourself. Tape it to the fridge. Be ready, and more importantly, believe this: You are worthy. You are not alone. And help is available.