Almost always, the truly suicidal person is relieved that someone has finally taken him or her seriously. Calling your family doctor is one good option at that point. If your family member is severely suicidal and refuses to get help, you may need to call 911 or your local psychiatric emergency room to get help. Fortunately, major depression and bipolar disorder are very treatable illnesses. With the proper care, the vast majority of sufferers can feel much better within a matter of weeks or months.
Treatment consists of either talking therapy, medication or some combination of the two.
Therapy may be done individually, in a group setting or in a combined format. Sometimes family or marital counseling is helpful, too. There are many types of antidepressants available today, and all prescribed antidepressants are roughly equal in effectiveness. These all act mainly on a chemical in the brain called serotonin. These medications are both safe and effective for the vast majority of patients with major depression.