How do I know when I'm not okay? 

Noticing signs of distress can be difficult to recognise in ourselves, especially if we haven’t felt suicidal before.

Person that looks sad wearing a beanie and hooded jacket.

Over our lifetimes we experience a wide range of emotions. How we experience those emotions and what they feel like are as individual as we are. However feelings of sadness, anger, fear or other uncomfortable feelings are ones we all experience.

There is a difference between feeling sad, overwhelmed and knowing that it will pass or feeling suicidal and unable to find a path to relief from that feeling.

For many LGBTIQA+ people, feelings of distress and thoughts of suicide have been part of our lives. Some of us may live with thoughts of suicide every day, or it may happen just once in our lives.

What’s helpful is being able to recognize when thoughts of suicide and feelings of sadness are not passing and are becoming overwhelming for us.

If you’re unsure about how you’re feeling right now, and have a sense that you’re not ok, you may find useful information and support options throughout this hub. You may be ready to tell someone you trust how you’re feeling, or if this feels too hard right now, as a first step you could speak with a peer supporter and contact:  

QLIFE
(every day, 3pm - midnight) 
Ph: 1800 184 527 

Webchat: https://qlife.org.au/get-help

Rainbow Door
(every day, 10am-5pm) 
Ph: 1800 729 367 
Txt: 0480 017 246 

“I didn’t always know when I wasn’t okay. Looking back I have the insight now to know my signs of becoming distressed, but it was really scary at the time when I didn’t know what was happening to me. I want anyone who is going through that to know you’re not alone in feeling scared or overwhelmed” - Sam (they/them)