Reply to leaving someone suicidal

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]  People who "threaten" suicide are asking for help.  Calling 911, tape recording them, asking for restraining orders is not particularly helpful.[/quote]

You are right about one thing -- people who are threatening suicide ARE asking for help.  But, at the same time they are often refusing to get help in the traditional ways offered -- going to see a psychiatrist, taking anti-depressants and following thru on regular long-term psychotherapy or voluntarily admitting themselves to a psychiatric unit.   When a family member is making suicide threats and is refusing to get help in the traditional ways, calling 911, or tape recording them making the suicide "gesture" or "threat" are ways of getting them that help.  A family member is not qualified to deal with a suicide gesture; they have no professional expertise in evaluating how serious the threat is, how and why it was made, what kind of diagnoses could be driving the suicidal gestures nor what treatment is available.  IMO, the WORST thing a family member can do is NOT report a suicidal gesture.  The think that keeps a suicidal person alive over the long term is not merely the "support of others", it is treatment by professionals.

OP is in a difficult spot if the threats are "implicit", i.e. "I don't know what I'll do."  The mom might talk to a suicide counseling line to get the best advice on how to respond to implicit threats.

What state is the depressed person living in?  There are forced outpatient treatment laws in some states, but the availability is very dependent on the specific facts of the situation.  Look at the Treatment Advocacy Center's website http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/legal-resources/state-standards for information about civil commitment standards and assisted outpatient treatment laws.  If the mother wants to try for this, it's imperative to talk to an experienced attorney. [/quote]

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