My Friend Wants to Commit Suicide

[Carl-Richard]

59 minutes ago, Razard86 said:

This statement is very immature. It actually takes great courage to end your life. The most valuable possession you have is your life, a person has to really be pushed to the brink to end their life. You don't understand how much emotional pain, and physical pain it takes to drive someone to actually do it. Cowardice is actually a defense mechanism against suicide. Unless you can create a painless exit, a coward can't commit suicide.

It's both cowardice and courage for different reasons. It's not one or the other. It's cowardice because you're trying to escape the pain of life, but it's also courageous because it's painful to do so. Immature statements tend to be black and white statements, pretending to be absolute when they are in fact not 

Edited 2 hours ago by Carl-Richard

[Vynce]

1 hour ago, BlueOak said:

You can.

If he's at the logical choice point, which I did a few months ago again. You could actually appeal to the logical part of his mind. In the end though I had to choose myself to give life another go.

Its almost like a choice point after the depression or the events that have plagued you and you reach a calm eye of the storm choice moment. That's the best way I could describe it to you. Someone doing it in a state of despair is much more likely to need someone there, or a hug, or some relief, but what the OP is describing is a conscious choice moment.

Your friend needs to see for himself that there is more to life than what he's experienced till this date, specifically a path or two to freedom.

I highly, highly doubt that there is a logical route against suicide.

If depressed people do one thing all the time, its thinking. Going through all the logical motions of the mind. Never coming to rest.

Of course maybe there an obvious believe pattern that can be lifted through conversation therapy. But if one is already planning suicide, I doubt he has just overseen some obvious negative belief. Especially if the depression is already going on for a prolonged time. As is, somehow the case with the above mentioned friend.

Just speaking from my experience of dealing with depression and suicidal ideation.

[Sugarcoat]

I think in such situations it’s about whether there is hope to change things or not. In his case as I mentioned if he has the possibility of moving out it would solve some of his problem with his family. If not for now, at least later and he can hold on until then. Unfortunately not all of us are lucky with a good family, but when one is not, one can find meaningful relationships elsewhere, such as in a friend like you for example. I don’t know much of his situation but it doesn’t seem hopeless, a hopeless situation for me would be for example if someone has a horrible incurable disease or something. In his case there is hope for change, and that is something you could focus on and inform him about. As long as he lives with his family he could try to stay away from them more, so going outside etc if he can. Maybe it sounds obvious but it’s just a suggestion . Bottom line his situation isn’t hopeless