Need Advice - Friend Threatening Suicide

[Hawk and Awe]

Such a bummer. So sorry to read so many sad stories. It’s not a coincidence most people have experienced this. It’s a plague.

All I can suggest is that you don’t lock into one course of action. Mental health isn’t solved by a straightforward treatment plan. Everyone experiences it differently and what “cures” one person can set another down a path of destruction. All the suggestions of courts and police could work as a wake up call, but it’s also aggressive and could cause a spiral. On the surface it appears you may need to be aggressive and that could be the right decision.... Damn I’m sorry you have to make it.

What has always helped me is when people acknowledge (1) the don’t understand what I’m going through (2) they can empathize with how hard it must be (3) they have my back and (4) people are counting on me so I need to figure it out.

 

[Bank of Hawk]

Sorry to hear this. The human mind can be fragile.

Had an uncle die this way before I was born, my dad said he thought he couldn’t get over his dads passing away and was a desperate plea for attention and their sister somewhat witnessed it and she is now an extreme psychotic bi polar. Have another friend who had ptsd, when he got back from his first afghan tour he would say things like he wanted to be back there and told stories of dead bodies hanging from bridge overpasses and talk of how pointless he felt their mission was. On his 2nd tour.. While patrolling he was in charge of calling in air raids if they came upon fire so I can only imagine being charged with killing multiple people can wear on you mentally, albeit totally justified. He nearly did the deed a few years ago but has since got help, group therapy (with other ptsd) and doing much better.

I only mention these things so you can possibly glean anything that might help you. I think some people have to hit rock bottom before they can get better and hope rock bottom is not the end. Also many attempts and successful attempts are pleas for attention.

 

[SoFla-Hawkeye]

Take care of yourself. You won't be any good for him, your wife, or kids if you don't. It's not selfish. It is prudent.