Safety
Build a safety plan
A short, practical document of warning signs, coping strategies, and contacts you can reach for when crisis hits. Build it before you need it.
Quick answer
A safety plan is a short, prioritized document you build before a crisis so you have something concrete to follow when one hits. Crises are not the time to be inventing strategies from scratch.
The structure below is informed by the Stanley & Brown Safety Planning Intervention, an evidence-based approach used widely in clinical settings.
When to build it
A calm day. Not when you're already struggling. Building during crisis often produces a plan that doesn't fit you when you're not in that state.
If a counselor or therapist is part of your care, build the plan with them or bring it to your next session for review.
What's in a safety plan
1. Warning signs
The thoughts, feelings, situations, or behaviors that signal crisis may be developing. Specific to you. Examples:
- "I haven't slept well for three nights."
- "I'm withdrawing from friends and not returning texts."
- "I'm catastrophizing about [specific topic]."
- "I'm spending more than [X] hours on [specific behavior]."
The goal is recognition. When you notice one of these, you know to consult the plan rather than power through.
2. Internal coping strategies
Things you can do alone, without anyone else's help, to take your mind off the crisis. The point is they're available regardless of context. Examples:
- A specific 10-minute walk route.
- A specific playlist or album.
- A specific breathing or grounding exercise (see Dawn exercises).
- A specific physical task — cleaning, cooking, exercise.
Pick 2–3 you've actually tried and know help.
3. Social distraction
People and places that provide healthy distraction (not necessarily talking about the crisis). Examples:
- Coffee with a specific friend who doesn't ask hard questions.
- A specific public space — library, park, café — where you can be around people without interaction.
- A regular group activity — class, meetup, gym session.
4. People to ask for help
Specific people you can reach out to about the crisis itself, in priority order. Names + phone numbers. Examples:
- One friend who knows your situation and listens well.
- One family member who handles this kind of thing well.
- An accountability partner if you have one (see Accountability partners).
5. Professional resources
Clinical and crisis-line contacts. Always include:
- Your therapist's name and phone number.
- Your psychiatrist (if applicable).
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988.
- Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741.
- SAMHSA — 1-800-662-4357 for substance use.
- 911 if there is immediate physical danger.
For international resources, see Crisis resources.
6. Make your environment safer
Concrete steps to reduce access to means of harm. Specific to your situation. Examples:
- Give a trusted person temporary custody of medications.
- Lock alcohol or substances out of easy reach.
- Lock or remove digital content that triggers spirals (see Time Vault).
- Identify a safe place to go if home becomes unsafe.
Step-by-step build
Pick the format
A note on your phone, a printed page in your wallet, an index card on your fridge. The best format is the one you'll actually have when you need it.
Write the six sections
Be specific. "Talk to a friend" is too vague. "Call Sarah at 555-XXXX" is usable.
Share it with one person
A friend, family member, or counselor. They should know it exists and where to find it.
Practice using it
The next time you notice a warning sign — even mild — open the plan and walk through the steps. Familiarity with the flow matters when crisis hits.
Review periodically
Quarterly at minimum, or after any significant life change. Plans get stale; people change.
How Daybreak supports safety planning
- Dawn can help you brainstorm coping strategies, identify warning signs, and refine the plan during a regular conversation. Ask: "Help me build a safety plan."
- Check-ins make warning signs visible over time — patterns in mood, sleep, and triggers often surface there before they're felt directly.
- Crisis detection in Dawn surfaces emergency resources automatically if a conversation indicates active crisis. See How Dawn detects crises.
Common pitfalls
Building a plan that's too long
In crisis, you won't read three pages. Aim for a single page or a single phone screen. Specificity beats comprehensiveness.
Building a plan in isolation
A plan with no one in section 4 ("people to ask for help") is half a plan. The hardest part — reaching out — is also the most important. Even one name is enough; build outward later.
Resources
- Stanley & Brown Safety Planning template (PDF) — the evidence-based template this approach is informed by.
- Crisis resources — full directory of hotlines and emergency contacts.
Next steps
- Crisis resources — bookmark these even if you don't think you need them.
- Talk to Dawn about building or refining your plan.
Still need help?
Pick whichever way of getting help works best for you.
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