Get Rid of “Lethal Means”

If you struggle with suicidal urges, get rid of the things you’d use to kill yourself or to hurt yourself (AKA “lethal means”).

Stories

Although I had no plans to kill myself, and I couldn’t imagine using a gun, I was scared enough that I didn’t want to know where the gun was and I didn’t want it around.
Ursula Founder and CEO
My Mom loved guns. She even tried to get me to take a firearm with me on a roadtrip to San Francisco.
Julie Co‑founder, Board Member
I reached out out to a friend, and I felt kind of stupid doing it.
Sarah Co‑founder, Board Member

Community Tips

Thinking of it as temporary, helped me take steps to lock my firearm and give the key to a friend. I used the Lock2Live.org resource
There’s research that a lot of people don’t plan to attempt suicide ‑ they get in the super red zone and make that decision quickly. They wouldn’t otherwise have made it. I don’t want to risk a split second decision ruining my family and my life.
I’m really trying to give life a try ‑ so I want to be as proactive as possible. Thinking about it this way, helped get me started.
My wife felt a lot better when my uncle stored my gun for me. If she’s less stressed, I am too.
After I attempted, I realized if I hadn’t had all that old extra medicine, I probably would have just gone to bed. I wish I’d just gone to bed.
For me, I’ve always felt safer knowing there was a way out in my house. It was really, seriously, uncomfortable to remove it ‑ and I thought about it a lot the first month. I don’t think about it now that it’s been six months.
I had to be really creative. It meant I took a bus to work instead of driving for awhile.
In my state, Washington, I can add my name to a ‘do not sell’ list for firearms. It was a pain, but I know I’m safer if I get psychotic again.
This made me take a good inventory of what was in my house. There was a lot of stuff I really didn’t need. I took the meds to a drop‑off center.
I know you are supposed to do this when you aren’t suicidal ‑ but I ended up having a friend come over and put a bunch of stuff in her trunk for now. I’m not feeling so hot.
Suicidal thoughts are something I continue to experience when I’m overwhelmed, even though I’ve tried to make them go away. I’ve come to accept that this is where my brain goes when I’m having really intense and painful emotions, and they are only dangerous if I take action around them. Getting rid of anything I could use to hurt myself is so important because when I’m in that space I can forget everything but the hurting and I just want it to stop. I don’t give myself that option.

Why Use this Skill

If you feel the urge to kill yourself, but you don’t have the tools to do it, you won’t be able to. That’s why getting rid of lethal means is one of the most useful things anyone can do to keep themselves safe.

When to Use This Skill

Use Get Rid of Lethal Means when:

  • You struggle with suicidal thoughts, or have a specific plan to act on the urge to kill yourself.
  • You have tried to kill yourself before.
  • You have access to a gun.
Skills

Getting Rid of "Lethal Means"

How to Use This Skill

In theory, this skill is easy. Just get rid of anything you’d use to kill yourself—AKA “lethal means.”

In practice, it can be a lot trickier… What if you can’t totally get rid of lethal means? Or what if you’re having trouble convincing yourself it’s the best thing to do? Below, we offer some ideas.

Some things to consider with this skill:

  • This is a skill that’s most useful to do proactively. Get rid of your lethal means before you’re in crisis.
  • If you’re noticing unwillingness to get rid of lethal means, use other coping skills (like Cold Water or Paced Breathing) before this skill.
  • Ideally, you’d totally get rid of the thing(s) you’d use to hurt yourself.
    • Throw it away. Give it to a trusted friend. Lock it in a safe that only your roommate has the passcode to. Etc.
  • Sometimes you can’t can’t get rid of lethal means. In that case, do whatever you can to make it harder for you to access.
    • Put it in the back of a drawer or closet. Put it in a locked safe. Tape your Safety Plan or an encouraging note to it. Give part of it to a roommate or trusted friend. Etc.
    • When you’re in a crisis, having time, space, or steps between you and lethal means can make all the difference in keeping you safe. The harder it is to use the lethal means, the less likely you will make an impulsive decision when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
  • If you have a therapist, talk to them about this skill and get their help problem-solving. (If you don’t have a therapist and you struggle with suicidal thoughts, consider trying to find a therapist.)
  • Ask others for help when you’re feeling unsure of what to do.

Resources

Getting Rid of Lethal Means with Now Matters Now

A series of videos from Now Matters Now on how to get rid of Lethal Means

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Means Matter

Harvard’s “Means Matter” website with research about this skill

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Tips for Secure Firearms Storage

Webpage from the VA with information about lethal means safety

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Lock2Live

Lock2Live.org is a tool to provide secure access to dangerous items temporarily

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Prevent Firearm Suicide

Webpage with tips for safe firearm storage

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