Potentially Suicidal Friend

Sketcher

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A friend of mine for 21 years has had a rough go of it. He's struggled with emotional issues as long as I've known him, but his divorce years ago made things worse, and he has degraded in the intervening years to the point that well meaning friends (such as myself) and family haven't been able to help him get his life back on track despite our efforts to provide, motivate, encourage, and instruct. He said the one thing he can control is how he leaves this world. I'm sure he doesn't have medical insurance. Please pray for him to not harm himself, and for free resources that can help him in this situation to be made known.
 

disciple Clint

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A friend of mine for 21 years has had a rough go of it. He's struggled with emotional issues as long as I've known him, but his divorce years ago made things worse, and he has degraded in the intervening years to the point that well meaning friends (such as myself) and family haven't been able to help him get his life back on track despite our efforts to provide, motivate, encourage, and instruct. He said the one thing he can control is how he leaves this world. I'm sure he doesn't have medical insurance. Please pray for him to not harm himself, and for free resources that can help him in this situation to be made known.
You can call and talk to people on the suicide line, they can tell you how to talk to your friend to determine his intentions and how to help him to get help. My prayers are with you and him.
 
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SirHash

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Right, prayers your way. Grieving is a process and needs to be allowed to proceed. I'm wondering if your friend has gotten stuck at some stage of the grieving process. Have you tried connecting your friend to your Pastor or the Pastoral Care people in your Church?
 
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Sketcher

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Thanks, everyone. I did give him the suicide hotline number, and a mental health provider that takes Medicaid. I haven't gotten a response back. All of this took place over Facebook, and he hasn't been using it regularly, so I'm not taking that as another bad sign yet. If he hadn't moved out of where I last knew him to be living, then he's probably not living alone, so there is that. Please do keep praying, if he did bounce back he'll probably get this low again without further help.
 
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LastAcorn99

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A friend of mine for 21 years has had a rough go of it. He's struggled with emotional issues as long as I've known him, but his divorce years ago made things worse, and he has degraded in the intervening years to the point that well meaning friends (such as myself) and family haven't been able to help him get his life back on track despite our efforts to provide, motivate, encourage, and instruct. He said the one thing he can control is how he leaves this world. I'm sure he doesn't have medical insurance. Please pray for him to not harm himself, and for free resources that can help him in this situation to be made known.
I'm sorry to hear this, friend. It's evident that you're a caring friend to him, and I'm sure it's making a difference in his life. Sending prayers for your friend, asking the Lord to draw him closer to Himself and fill him with His love, peace, and strength in the coming days. God bless you!
 
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Sketcher

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I have an update. I had reached out to him but hadn't heard back until recently. Because I heard back, I know he didn't kill himself. He's not in a good place right now, he seems to be a shattered version of his old self. He's trying a new venture, and if it fails I'm concerned that it will smack him right back down into suicidal thoughts again. Pray for not only success, but for him him to really believe in his own value and to feel energized and to have hope for this life as well as the next.
 
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Sketcher

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Life just threw another thing at him. Now he's using suicidal language again. Please pray for him.
  • He's drained because he has a job he is not well-suited for, and he hasn't lasted anywhere long enough to get seniority. This has gone on for years across many jobs.
  • He just got a 30 day eviction notice.
  • He has no savings.
  • His spirit is utterly drained, too much so to take care of himself (which makes all of this worse).
Still, I care about him as a friend. Pray for the Lord to really lift him up.
 
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William J

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I pray that God would reach out and comfort your friend. I pray that God would reveal reasons why your friend's life on this Earth still matters. I pray that your friend would find resources to help him in his time of need.
 
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Deade

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Life just threw another thing at him. Now he's using suicidal language again. Please pray for him.
  • He's drained because he has a job he is not well-suited for, and he hasn't lasted anywhere long enough to get seniority. This has gone on for years across many jobs.
  • He just got a 30 day eviction notice.
  • He has no savings.
  • His spirit is utterly drained, too much so to take care of himself (which makes all of this worse).
Still, I care about him as a friend. Pray for the Lord to really lift him up.

This sounds like untreated depression. See if he will use the hotline and get a referral to get the help he needs. Praying for you both.
 
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Sketcher

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This sounds like untreated depression. See if he will use the hotline and get a referral to get the help he needs. Praying for you both.
Oh, that's crystal clear. I don't know if he's still on his meds for that or not.
It doesn't help that he has an excuse for not performing every act of self-care that has been suggested to him in the last year. I don't know how many of them are legit, or made by him at this point.
 
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