Suicidal friend

[DanaC]

I second that Wolf.

Suicide's a funny business. I remember mum and her colleagues being really freaked out when a lad (a nurse I think) at the hospital killed himself. They were all so shocked because he was a really sunny and popular member of the team. Didn't seem depressed at all. Everything in his life appeared, to those looking in, to be going very well. I don't think they ever did figure out why.

When mum was training for Samaritans a couple of years ago, one of the things they told them was never to try and talk someone out of it. What they suggested instead was to ask the person what they expected to happen after they'd done it (or somethng along those lines). Get them to think past that moment and into what follows. For a lot of people, what they're actually wanting to do is press the stop button. It's less about dying and more about ending their present situation/emotional state. It can be a bit of a reality check to try and think past that point.