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[quote=Anonymous]Yes, agree with all the PPs who said contact a suicide prevention line and ask for advice and how to approach the conversation.

But there are some basics that are, well, basic to those of us who work with difficult family dynamics professionally:

1) Before anything else, ASK your niece how she is.  Ask her to say more about how things are going, how she's feeling, and which things/people/factors are making her feel the way she feels.

GET INFORMATION FIRST.  Do NOT go in thinking you know what is going on and that you just need to fix it.  Hear her out, be supportive, tell her what she tells you stays with you (unless she tells you she's being abused, in which case you may need professional help).  And tell her there's nothing she can say that will make you turn on her, and hopefully MEAN it when you say it.

2) Once you've heard her out, and heard how she feels, ask HER how you can be most helpful.  Hear her out on that too.  If she doesn't know, ask her if you can visit with her more regularly, and tell your brother you just really want to see her more regularly.

3) If it sounds like things are really bad, one thing to talk to the suicide support lines about is how to help your niece develop a SAFETY PLAN.  This is a plan for either physically getting out of the house if she's in danger or feeling like something is about to blow, AND/OR it's her safety plan if she's feeling desperate and considering suicide again.  Those technically are 2 different plans, but you should help her with either or both, whichever her story tells you is most likely needed.

4) Ask yourself, your own family, and your sister what each is willing to do to support your niece once you understand her situation.  Would any of you be willing to let her stay with you for awhile?  Can you offer to facilitate transportation or just helping to get her to see her siblings?  What can you offer that will be helpful?

Anything else depends on what is going on and what she tells you.  But those are some basic guidelines that are relevant the vast majority of times.[/quote]

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