How to React if You See a Suicidal Post on Facebook
Comment and encourage the person to seek help., Report the post., Use Facebook’s “Report Suicidal Content” option.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Comment and encourage the person to seek help.
Many people ignore suicidal social media posts for various reasons.
However, social media suicide threats should be considered as serious as any other suicide threat.You may want to reply back to the person or send them a private message where you encourage them to seek help.
Consider sending them the numbers to a suicide hotline to talk with a trained suicide counselor.Two suicide hotline numbers you can give them are 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Suicide.org provides suicide hotlines broken down by state, and also provides international numbers.
They also give numbers for Spanish speaking hotlines, and hotlines geared towards specific groups, such as LGBT youth and military veterans. -
Step 2: Report the post.
When you see a suicide status update on Facebook, you have the option to report the post.
When you report the post, it alerts Facebook that the poster may need help.
Facebook then sends the person a message asking them if they would like to talk to someone (like a helpline worker) or be sent some tips to help them work through the problem.Reporting the post is anonymous, so the poster won’t know you reported them.
To find the “Report Post” link, look for the arrow in the top right of the status box.
When you hit the arrow, it should give you the option to “Report Post.” , When you see a suicidal message on Facebook, you can report them directly to Facebook.
This option is different than simple reporting the post.
You find the "report suicidal content" page in Facebook's help section and provide information directly to Facebook.You will need to provide the person’s name, the link to their profile, a link to the suicidal content, and a screenshot of the post. -
Step 3: Use Facebook’s “Report Suicidal Content” option.
Detailed Guide
Many people ignore suicidal social media posts for various reasons.
However, social media suicide threats should be considered as serious as any other suicide threat.You may want to reply back to the person or send them a private message where you encourage them to seek help.
Consider sending them the numbers to a suicide hotline to talk with a trained suicide counselor.Two suicide hotline numbers you can give them are 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Suicide.org provides suicide hotlines broken down by state, and also provides international numbers.
They also give numbers for Spanish speaking hotlines, and hotlines geared towards specific groups, such as LGBT youth and military veterans.
When you see a suicide status update on Facebook, you have the option to report the post.
When you report the post, it alerts Facebook that the poster may need help.
Facebook then sends the person a message asking them if they would like to talk to someone (like a helpline worker) or be sent some tips to help them work through the problem.Reporting the post is anonymous, so the poster won’t know you reported them.
To find the “Report Post” link, look for the arrow in the top right of the status box.
When you hit the arrow, it should give you the option to “Report Post.” , When you see a suicidal message on Facebook, you can report them directly to Facebook.
This option is different than simple reporting the post.
You find the "report suicidal content" page in Facebook's help section and provide information directly to Facebook.You will need to provide the person’s name, the link to their profile, a link to the suicidal content, and a screenshot of the post.
About the Author
Richard Robinson
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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