# How to Write a Personal Safety Plan for Hard Moments A safety plan is a short, personal guide for getting through moments when suicidal thoughts or overwhelming distress show up. Here is how to build one, step by step. Canonical page: https://sos-wellness.org/how-to-write-a-personal-safety-plan-for-suicidal-thoughts Published by SOS Wellness. Updated: 2026-11-13. If you have ever had thoughts of suicide, or moments of distress so intense that you worried about your safety, you know how hard it can be to think clearly in those moments. Ideas that seem obvious on a calm day can feel out of reach when you are overwhelmed. A safety plan is a way to prepare for those moments ahead of time. It is a short, written list of steps you can follow when things get hard, in the order that works for you. Many clinicians use safety planning as a core part of care for people who experience suicidal thoughts. **If you are in crisis right now,** call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can come back to this article later. ## What a safety plan is, and is not A safety plan is: - Personal, written in your own words - Short enough to use when you are struggling - Focused on specific actions, people and places - Something you can update over time A safety plan is not a contract or a promise. It does not replace treatment, and it is not a sign that you are failing. It is a tool, like a fire escape plan, that you hope you rarely need but are glad to have. It is often best to create a safety plan with a therapist or other clinician, who can help you think through each step. But you can begin one on your own. ## Step 1: Your warning signs Start by writing down the thoughts, feelings, situations or behaviors that tend to come before a crisis for you. These are your personal signals that it is time to use your plan. Examples might include: - Feeling trapped, hopeless or like a burden - Not sleeping, or sleeping all day - Isolating from everyone - Drinking more or using substances - Specific triggers, like an anniversary, a conflict or a certain kind of news The more specific you are, the easier it is to recognize the moment. ## Step 2: Things you can do on your own List a few activities that can help you get through difficult feelings, even a little, without needing anyone else. These do not have to solve the problem. They just need to help you ride out the wave. Ideas include taking a shower, going for a walk, listening to a particular playlist, holding something cold, doing a breathing exercise, writing, praying, or watching something familiar. Choose what has actually helped you before. ## Step 3: People and places that offer distraction Sometimes being around others helps, even if you do not talk about how you feel. Write down a few people you can call or text for ordinary conversation, and places where you can be around others, such as a coffee shop, a library, a place of worship or a relative's home. ## Step 4: People you can ask for help Next, list people you trust enough to tell that you are struggling. Include names and phone numbers. It may help to talk with them ahead of time so they know they are on your plan and what you might need from them. ## Step 5: Professionals and crisis lines Write down how to reach professional help: - Your therapist, psychiatric provider or clinic's office, along with their office hours - **988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:** call or text 988, available any time - **Emergency services:** call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you are in immediate danger - The location of the nearest emergency room It is important to know which of these are available after hours. Many outpatient practices, including SOS Wellness, do not provide emergency or after-hours crisis services. 988 and 911 are there when your regular providers are not. ## Step 6: Making your environment safer This step is one of the most important. During a crisis, having less access to ways of harming yourself can create time and distance that save lives. Think through what might be dangerous for you and how to reduce access, especially during difficult periods. Examples include: - Storing firearms outside the home with a trusted person, or locked and unloaded with the key held by someone else - Asking a pharmacist or prescriber how to safely dispose of medications you no longer need - Having someone else hold onto medications and give them to you as prescribed - Removing other items you have thought about using This can be uncomfortable to plan. A clinician or trusted person can help you work out what is realistic. ## Step 7: Your reasons for living Some people add a final section listing what matters most to them: people, pets, goals, beliefs, places they want to see, things they want to experience. In hard moments, it can help to be reminded of what you are holding on for. ## Keeping your plan within reach A plan only helps if you can find it. Consider: - Keeping a copy in your phone's notes or as a photo - Keeping a paper copy in your wallet, bag or bedside drawer - Sharing a copy with someone on your support list ## Reviewing and updating Your plan can change as your life changes. Review it after a difficult period, a new diagnosis, a medication change, a move or a change in relationships. Ask yourself what helped, what did not, and what needs to be updated. Bringing your plan to therapy is a good way to keep it current. ## Getting support At SOS Wellness, crisis counseling and safety planning can be part of outpatient care, along with psychiatry, medication management, therapy and case management. Our team sees patients at our Middletown and Norwood offices and by telehealth for people located in Ohio. Our offices are not emergency services; for urgent help, call or text 988, or call 911 for a life-threatening emergency. If you would like help creating or revisiting a safety plan as part of ongoing care, you can [request an appointment](https://sos-wellness.org/schedule-an-appointment) or [contact us](https://sos-wellness.org/contact-us). You deserve support in building something that works for you.