Suicidal Thoughts Assessment
A detailed private Backing U self-assessment designed to help you reflect on current suicidal thoughts and safety concerns, including hopelessness, feeling trapped, thoughts of death, planning, preparation and ability to stay safe. It looks across suicidal thinking, hopelessness and feeling trapped, planning or preparation, difficulty staying safe and reduced access to protective support. The assessment contains 20 questions and is intended to give you a structured wellbeing snapshot, highlight the areas having the greatest effect, and provide practical recommendations for what to do next. It is not designed to diagnose a condition or replace an individual professional assessment.
This Backing U Suicidal Thoughts Assessment is a non-diagnostic self-reflection tool and is not a validated suicide risk assessment, crisis service or substitute for assessment by a qualified professional. A total score cannot establish that someone is safe. Current intent, planning, preparation, access to means, recent escalation or inability to stay safe can require urgent help regardless of the overall score. If there is immediate danger, call 000. In Australia, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14 and Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. External resources are provided for further reading and support only. They are operated by independent Australian or UK organisations and their inclusion does not imply endorsement of this Backing U tool.
I have wished I could go to sleep and not wake up.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have felt that life is not worth living or that there is no point continuing.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have felt like a burden or believed other people would be better off without me.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have felt trapped, hopeless or unable to see a realistic way for things to improve.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have had thoughts about ending my life.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Suicidal thoughts have been difficult to dismiss or redirect once they appear.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Suicidal thoughts have become more frequent, intense or persistent recently.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have thought about a specific way I might seriously harm or kill myself.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have thought about when or where I might act on suicidal thoughts.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have had access to things I might use to seriously harm myself.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have made preparations or arrangements connected with suicide or serious self-harm.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have felt that I might act on suicidal thoughts rather than only thinking about them.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have felt unsure that I can keep myself safe without immediate support.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Alcohol or other drug use has made suicidal thoughts, impulsivity or safety harder to manage.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have isolated myself or hidden how unsafe I feel from people who might help.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
A recent loss, conflict, health issue, legal/financial problem or other crisis has sharply increased my distress.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Reasons for staying alive or people/things that normally protect me have felt weaker or harder to access.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have found it difficult to identify a trusted person I could contact if my safety worsened.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
I have been frightened by the intensity of my own thoughts or by what I might do.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Right now, I feel I need more support than I can safely provide for myself.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has been extremely strong, frequent or current. If you currently intend to act on suicidal thoughts, have made preparations, or cannot keep yourself safe, stop the assessment and seek immediate help: call 000, Lifeline 13 11 14, or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Keep or share a copy of your result
You can email a copy of this result to yourself. You can separately choose whether Backing U may receive an anonymous copy of your responses and result for quality improvement and research.
This Backing U Suicidal Thoughts Assessment is a non-diagnostic self-reflection tool and is not a validated suicide risk assessment, crisis service or substitute for assessment by a qualified professional. A total score cannot establish that someone is safe. Current intent, planning, preparation, access to means, recent escalation or inability to stay safe can require urgent help regardless of the overall score. If there is immediate danger, call 000. In Australia, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14 and Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. External resources are provided for further reading and support only. They are operated by independent Australian or UK organisations and their inclusion does not imply endorsement of this Backing U tool.