What do you say to a friend who attempted suicide?

[tk5028]

I should have made my self more clear, I'm not asking advice to help him. My wife is a counsler and I know I am not qualified to give him help. I was mearly thinking what do I say when I see him again. Like, "WTF were you thinking," or "is there anything I can do?"

I know the man very well, and I know there there is nothing I can personally do other than just "be there." As far as what he has been through the above mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg. He is 53 and that was just the last year, most of his life has been simular.

As far as having no respect, in some cases I can understand that way of thinking. But when you are mentaly ill, that's a different story.

 

[River]

I should have made my self more clear, I'm not asking advice to help him. My wife is a counsler and I know I am not qualified to give him help. I was mearly thinking what do I say when I see him again. Like, "WTF were you thinking," or "is there anything I can do?"

I know the man very well, and I know there there is nothing I can personally do other than just "be there." As far as what he has been through the above mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg. He is 53 and that was just the last year, most of his life has been similar.

As far as having no respect, in some cases I can understand that way of thinking. But when you are mentaly ill, that's a different story.

You're a good person to have as a friend, that's clear.

 

[coldsteal2]

The guy has been through a real shit storm

 

[tazzboy]

He needs to get into some therapy really soon otherwise your friend might try again and succeed in killing himself.

 

[jomo]

I baby sat a buddy of mine for months, sat up with him all night then went to work many many times. I woke up around 2:00 one night and had a funny feeling, so I drove over there. Sure enough, he was sitting in his car, in the garage with a hose going from the exhaust into the window. I got there before it was too late and drove him to Cumberland heights here in Nashville and talked him into admitting himself. He's better now. I hope your friend pulls through all this.

 

[FLICKOFLASH]

My mother has attempted suicide many times in the past mostly due to depression & chemical imbalances ( & has come close). Proper meds & even electric shock treatments can do wonders & no it is not as bad as you may think.

 

[dennistruckdriver]

Like I told my friend who took a bunch of pills: "Don't do that again....Please?"

 

[tk5028]

Like I told my friend who took a bunch of pills: "Don't do that again....Please?"

I think I like this respeonse the best so far.

 

[Wickedlester]

Tell him he's selfish. Dieing is easy, living is hard.

Yeah dying is easy, spelling it is hard. Dieing would be working with a die machine. Other than that, great advice.

I tried committing suicide. 6 years ago I was paralyzed from the waist down. I was at home, not able to drive, sick of being in pain, sick of everything the paralysis gave me. I tried to talk to my wife, a last ditch effort to save myself. My wife who was having her own hard time dealing with it basically gave advice like the above quote. I finally had too much, made sure my insurance policy was still in effect in the even of suicide, took enough pills to kill a horse. I didn't chicken out. I was actually happy as I went to sleep.
My wife heard me coughing and gasping in the morning, when she asked me if I was ok my eyes rolled in the back of my head. I spent about a week in a coma, they at first told my wife and mother I wouldn't make it. I pulled through, not because I was strong or because I had a will to survive. I actually wanted to die. I remember the paramedics performing CPR on me and using the defibrillators on me. I was telling myself it was over. I was glad at the time.

Fast forward to today. What would have stopped the attempt would have been listening, comforting words even though I didn't want to hear them. Sometimes just letting a person unload is all they need. It is hard for me to cry, I was brought up to "be strong" and I felt crying was weak. I felt feeling the way I did, coupled with being in my condition made me weak. All I think I needed was just somebody to let me unload.

That's all you can do. Let your friend talk. Tell him all the positives of living. Encourage professional help. Be prepared to hear his problems. They will weigh heavy and if you can withstand it you are doing all you can do.

Hope that helps.

 

[Justin_Case]

I can't offer any advise other than what comes simply to mind for when you first see him - just say " Its good to see you " let the rest just happen - I can tell you r a good friend, and at this point that is what he needs.

 

[JNS]

I've had a few friends take their lives and several more try (unfortunate reality of being in the service) and I still to this day don't know what to really say. I've honestly just tried to talk to them like nothing happened, but I always told them if they needed ANYTHING to call me, I would be there as fast as I could. I hope your buddy the best.