Self-Injury

I'm concerned about someone after seeing content they've shared on Jigidi

If you sense someone's life is at risk, please first report it to your local emergency services immediately.

After this, please also report any suicidal or self-harming behaviour that occurs within the Jigidi community on our website. Your identity will be kept anonymous to the person in question.

How can I tell if someone is considering self-harming or suicide?

Someone who is considered suicidal or likely to self-harm may engage in the following discussions:

• They may talk about wanting to die or killing themselves.
• They may talk about finding a way to kill themselves.
• They may express a sense of hopelessness and talk about having no reason to live.
• They may talk about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
• They may talk about being a burden to others.

This is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other indications that someone is considering self-harming or suicide. In any case, where you are in doubt, we urge you to report it to your local emergency authorities immediately and attempt to help the individual where possible.

How can I help?

Always contact the local emergency authorities first. Afterwards, please also report incidents that occur on Jigidi where you believe someone's safety is in jeopardy to us.

Upon this, the best action to take is to encourage them to talk about what they are going through.

Empathise and listen

Upon contact try to reduce their feelings of isolation by listening compassionately and giving them the space, they need to talk.

Rather than offering solutions help them to feel understood and don't judge them. Ask open-ended questions like, "I know you're going through a difficult time right now. Can we talk?". Get them to share their feelings with you and try to be a source of comfort for them.

Ask explicitly about suicide

Be as clear and direct as possible when asking questions about their situation e.g. "Are you thinking about suicide?". If they reply "yes, I'm thinking about suicide" you are not increasing the risk of them harming themselves, but showing that you care about them and are aware of how much distress they are in.

Show support

Let them know how courageous they are for sharing their situation with you and offer to put them in touch with someone else they can trust, like a medical professional, friend or relative.

I'm thinking about suicide or self-harming

If you feel you are in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services who are there to help you.

Reach out for help

If you're having thoughts about self-harm or suicide and the threat to your physical safety isn't immediate, we want you to know there are some actions you can take right now that may help:

• Talk to someone at a helpline
• Talk to someone that you trust - You may be apprehensive to tell someone close to you how you feel. This is normal. However, it is important that you share what's on your mind with someone you trust like a friend, family member, counsellor or professional. You might not be able to explain how you feel, but the most important thing is that you begin the conversation. You could start by saying something like, "I'm going through something difficult and I want to talk about it with you. Would you mind taking some time to listen?".

There may be instances when you want to share your experience with suicidal thoughts or self-harm online with other members in the Jigidi community. If you are thinking about suicide or self-harm, you should talk to someone you can trust, like a friend, relative or health care professional. It is better to take this discussion offline where possible and have it either on the phone or face to face where someone can give you their full and undivided attention.

If you require urgent help, contact your local emergency services.

If being on Jigidi upsets you

If you feel upset or overwhelmed by something you have seen or experienced in the Jigidi community, there are some actions you can take that may help.

• Get offline and take a break from using Jigidi - If you are overwhelmed or upset whilst engaging in the Jigidi community we advise logging out and taking some time out.
• Filter the content you see - If someone in the Jigidi community has upset you, report it to us and we will take action so that the situation is dealt with accordingly. You can also have someone blocked from your point of view on Jigidi. This effectively means that you no longer see the content they share.
• Tell a friend, relative or trusted professional how you are feeling

Before sharing any content about suicide or self-harm within the Jigidi community, consider why you are sharing it and what you expect the outcome to be. Think about the impact it will have on other members and how you will feel after you've shared it.

Ask yourself, "is there a safer and more helpful way I can communicate this feeling?".

Content of an explicit nature that could cause harm or offence to others is best avoided.

And please note that for the safety of our community members, legal action may be taken if we become aware of any language or content shared online that indicates a threat to either yours or someone else's safety or wellbeing. This includes any form of communication indicative of self-harm or suicide.