SUICIDE is an illness that has been shown to cause more deaths than road accidents, yet access to help is too often out of the reach of the people who need it most.

Two reported cases of suicide at the weekend have raised the issue of where to turn for help.

Headspace Southern Downs team leader Sophia McLucas said asking for help is a difficult step and said it can be made harder for people in smaller communities.

"I think it is hard (to ask for help) no matter where you live but in rural areas sometimes people don't have access to services or don't know they're there," she said.

Ms McLucas said while it was impossible to generalise the circumstances that would lead a person to take their own life, she said it was sometimes a knee-jerk reaction to trauma.

"I think what happens a lot is a crisis happens and it can be a fairly impulsive thing," she said.

But then there are the people who spend many hours contemplating taking their life and there are behaviours to be on the lookout for.

Warning signs that somebody is seriously contemplating suicide can include a pattern of altered behaviour or simply speaking about or threatening suicide.

People may change their eating, sleeping or social habits, they may begin giving away their property or stop making any plans for the future.

Ms McLucas recommends that anybody who believes a loved one is a serious and immediate threat to themselves should call the police, a GP or the hospital.

She said a suicidal person can be taken into care if they have made an attempt to kill themselves.

"It can be effective and they can then do further assessment to get more information on what is happening in the person's mind," she said.

A long-standing stigma attached to the issue could also be a factor adding to people's reluctance to seek help.

"There is a definitely a stigma still attached to the issue and I think it is almost a shame thing for people," Ms McLucas said.

It is unclear what causes the shame attached to such tragic incidents but Ms McLucas said it could be inflicted by haunting questions of what could have been done differently by those left behind.

She said the important thing was for affected people to know help is available.

"We just want people to know there are services out there and there is no shame in asking for help," Ms McLucas said.

Need help?

If you or somebody you know is contemplating suicide, there is help available.

• Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800
• Lifeline - 13 11 14
• SANE - 1300 363 622 or 07 3831 9016