Important: Suicidal Friend

He told me that he was thinking of committing suicide, possibly as early as 8-18 (Sunday). Please pray for him; I care for him a lot.

It seems that depression runs in his family. He's even stopped his mother from committing suicide several times, and stopped his sister once. I've been talking to him, but I don't think he's out of the danger zone.

He's a Christian, by the way. He has dreams of finding love, having a family, a job, etc., but he's not sure if it's ever going to happen. He thinks that there is no other way out of his misery than to commit suicide. He really needs your prayers, folks.

Thank you very much for your concern.

Originally posted by Auntie_Belle_Um
Make sure you tell him that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

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Ah, yes. That is true.

Depending on his personality type, I think I would lambast him for considering a COMPLETELY SELFISH ACT. Tell him how badly he is hurting you and upseting you. He must learn to think of others, and take the focus off of himself.

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I disagree. Placing judgment on him and ignoring his feelings will only exacerbate the problem. He will probably think even more lowly of himself. It would be unfair of us, because I think that approach would only be serving our own needs rather than his, and he is the one in pain. Instead of placing the focus and importance on ourselves and expect him to conform to what we (the observers) want him to be, taking into consideration how badly he is hurting would probably be a better approach. I think a little empathy is needed. When you're that depressed, it is easy to be short-sighted. I personally know that that can be the case.

In the meantime--GET THE GUY SOME HELP! He needs to be hospitalized! Anyone that threatens suicide should be put in the hospital immediately!

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Hospitalization would probably be beneficial, but I don't know if forcing them to go would be ethical, unless they've broken the law somehow. In that case, it would be deemed acceptable.

DON'T WAIT! Call your local hospital, and ask them what you should do. Do an Internet search on what to do when someone threatens suicide, look for sources of help.

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I did the Internet search thingy...it's up to him to call.

Don't keep this private--talk to his mother and his sister. Talk to anyone that you know that loves and cares for him.

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I don't have his phone number, actually. It would be long-distance, too. I'd be willing, if it would make him happy. As far as I am concerned, I am not in the authority to do that. They don't know me. If I did that, it might backfire because I'd be breaking his trust, and then he really might become unhappy with his life.

Thank you for your input, though.

Originally posted by Auntie_Belle_Um
psycmajor,

I wasn't meaning to judge him or ignore his feelings, but SHOCK him out of his downward spiral. That's why I prefaced my comment with this cautionary statement: "Depending on his personality type".

The goal is to get his mind off of doing harm to himself. His thoughts are centered around his problems, which only exacerbates his pain. The more he thinks about his problems, the more he wants to commit suicide or see's suicide as the only answer. It is a downward spiraling thought process that needs to be interrupted. When a person is that depressed, they are not thinking clearly. It has probably not occurred to him that his suicide would cause others to experience great pain and grief.

Threatening suicide is a cry for help, generally speaking. I don't think people want to die necessarily, but are looking for a way to stop the pain. There was a time in my life when I was going to commit suicide. The thought that stopped me from carrying it out was the realization that my little sister would be the first person to find my dead body. That thought allowed me to have empathy for my sister, as I realized the pain I was about to bring into her life. My thoughts and concerns for others stopped me from doing something horrible to myself.

There is a law in the State of Florida called "The Baker Act". It is designed for people who are "A danger to themselves or others". The Baker Act has prevented many people from commiting suicide, by getting them hospitalized where they can receive the help they desperately need. Maybe other States have a law similar to this one, I don't know.

At any rate, I understand that you are very limited in having any available means to actively help him. I do believe in the power of prayer, and I'm sure that praying for him is the greatest thing that any of us can do for him.

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Thank you for your testimony. Yeah, I have actually felt depressed to the point of suicidal thoughts. I forgot to tell him this, but what stopped you is actually very similar to what stopped me. I'm an only child, and imagining my parents finding me deceased. It would absolutely crush them, and I know they love me so much. Obviously, he has at least a sister, but that doesn't make his value any less than if he were an only child like myself.

I think shock is good when it comes to getting a deviant to realize the consequences of their actions. Has anyone ever heard of "Scared straight"? But when it comes to suicidal people, it is too risky because it might drive them over the edge. Rather than shocking them, I think getting them to think about the results of their suicide on others rather than a full guilt trip would be better. Let them come to that conclusion on their own. Again, what is important is to get the suicidal person to realize the value of their life, not to make ourselves seem like the ones whose feelings are the most important. It must be done very, very tactfully.

This is for anyone feeling hopeless:

Link about suicide:
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-dml/suicide-and-heaven.html

http://bible.crosswalk.com/Concordances/TorreysTopicalTextbook/
I like the alphabetical listings; this is very helpful in any occasion, especially in a situation like this. A great way to minister to a Christian. Or, perhaps a non-Christian!

A mere amount of scripture that will edify (see the topical concordance for the rest!):

1 Corinthians 6:20
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Matthew 10:29-31
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Matthew 6:25-34
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

John 1:12-13
12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

Proverbs 14:26
Those who fear the LORD are secure; he will be a place of refuge for their children.

Isaiah 43:2
When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

Hebrews 13:5
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

Psalms 27:14
Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Psalms 37:9
For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.

Psalms 37:34
Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

Isaiah 8:17
And I will wait on the Lord, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.

Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Ecclesiastes 7:17
Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time?

John 8:44 (this scripture is not to condemn anyone!)
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

 

I don't know what's going on with him right now.