Emotions and feelings. Youth. Female

How do I start a conversation with someone I’m worried about?

Find a time and place where you can both feel safe to talk. Tell your friend that you genuinely care about them. Acknowledge what you’ve observed recently, such as, “You seem so unhappy lately.” Allow time for them to open up. Don’t dismiss what they say or argue with how they feel. When the time seems right, ask them directly if they are considering suicide by saying something such as, “Are you thinking about taking your life?” Reassure them that you care about them, that they are valued, and that God loves and values them regardless of their current struggles. Help them see that “we are infinitely more than our limitations or our afflictions” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Like a Broken Vessel,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 42).

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