If YES, try to remove the means of suicide. Ask the suicidal person to throw the pills down the toilet, lock up the gun, or ask a neighbor to come over while you wait on the line. If YES, help him connect with a mental health professional or other specialized source of help, or with a significant other. Arrange for a follow-up. However, the potentially suicidal people with whom most of us will have contact are not terminally ill people determined to kill themselves to put an end to physical pain, but persons who believe suicide is the only way to cope with their emotional pain.
Persons considering suicide in response to an unhappy life situation are typically ambivalent.
They talk about their intentions, thus inviting intervention. Their reaching out in this manner is their way of saying they need help with living. You decrease the risk of an attempt when you encourage open discussion about the other person s feelings. Threats of suicide, whether or not the person seems otherwise at risk, should always be taken seriously. Listed below are warning signs that may indicate an increased risk for suicide.