Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Offer support
• Method 2 of 2: Avoid Bad Behavior
• Tips
• Warnings

If you are friends with a person who has attempted suicide, you must be worried about him and do not know how to approach him. The best thing you can do is offer your care, support, and always be there while your friend tries to get through this difficult period. It is very important now to show concern and friendliness in order to handle this situation carefully.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Offer support

1. 1 Always make time for a friend. The best thing you can do for a friend who has tried to commit suicide is to simply be there to support him. Just hug him, put your shoulder so he can cry, and listen - this will help your friend overcome this condition. Tell him that you are always in touch, ready to meet with him and spend time together. It's okay that your friend doesn't want to talk about what happened. Perhaps he will not be as talkative as before and even withdraw into himself. Do not let this interfere with your communication and meetings, because it is possible that your support is all he needs right now.
   • You shouldn't be reminded of what happened, but you should be with your friend if he wants to talk about it.
   • If the attempts are recent, offer support by asking how or how you can help him. You need to let him know that you are glad that everything worked out and that your friend is here.
2. 2 Try to understand it. It may be difficult for you to understand why your friend is attempting suicide in his life. You will likely feel that these attempts were made out of anger, shame, or guilt, but it is best if you consider your circumstances carefully. Try to understand the immense pain that was behind these attempts: was the pain from depression, from trauma, from feelings of hopelessness, recent loss accompanied by stress, feelings of shock, illness, addiction, or feelings of distance. Understand that your friend is in emotional pain, no matter what the reason.
   • Perhaps you will never fully understand what was going on in a person's head before he tried to commit suicide. However, if you are worried about a friend who recently tried, do your best to understand the pain they have been through.
3. 3 Listen to your friend. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for a friend is to just sit down and listen to them. Let him tell you what is needed. Avoid interrupting and trying to "sort out" problems. Don't match your friend's situation to yours or anyone else's. Remember, what he went through was a separate incident. Give your friend your full attention without being distracted. This will indicate to your friend that you are taking care of him with your full attention.
   • Sometimes, listening is just as important as saying something right.
   • While listening, try to avoid judging or trying to understand why this happened. Instead, focus on how the friend is feeling and what he / she might need from you.
   • It may seem like your friend only wants to talk about suicide all the time. This is normal as he becomes aware of what has happened. Be patient with him and let him tell as much as he needs.
4. 4 Offer help. You can offer help to your friend in need, both big and small. Follow your friend's lead to find out what they need most. Offer help voluntarily.And you can also ask what he does not like, so as not to offer this in the future.
   • For example, if your friend wants to seek therapy, you might suggest that he go to the doctor. Or, if a friend is shocked by everything that happens, you can offer help with the preparation of dinner, or sit with the children, help with homework, or do anything to relieve him of his burden.
   • Even helping with the little things can make a big difference. Do not think that any assignment is too small to help.
   • Help can also come in the form of a distraction offer. Perhaps he was already tired of this suicidal talk. Invite him to have lunch or watch a movie.
5. 5 Find out what tools can help your friend. If your friend has recently attempted suicide and you think he might want to repeat them, do your best to save him. Get help. Seek help from your school, your parents, or even call an ambulance if your friend says he won't make it. There are several dedicated hotlines available around the clock.
   • Search the Internet for special online help sites and hotlines.
   • Remember, you cannot handle this on your own. Your friend's family and other friends should step in to help that person get rid of their suicidal tendencies and their consequences.
6. 6 Ask your friends how to keep it safe. If your friend has been to the hospital or therapist after attempting suicide, they most likely have a safety plan. Ask a friend about him and how you can help him. If there is no such plan, try to find an online help to create one. Ask your friend what to say if they have a depression or anxiety, and how you can help. Find out how safe your friend is and what you should do if intervention is needed.
   • For example, if your friend says that he was in bed all day and did not answer phone calls, then this is a clear sign that he is trying to close in himself. This is a signal that you need to call the one who should intervene in this.
7. 7 Help your friend move forward little by little. Your friend should see a therapist or mental health professional and take medication. Once you've made sure your friend is getting enough support to recover, you can help him make small changes to improve his life. You shouldn't change your life drastically, offer something minimal to start with.
   • For example, if your friend has been overwhelmed by a broken relationship, you can try to gradually distract him from those thoughts by scheduling fun activities and helping to meet new people when the time is right.
   • Or, if your friend is deeply unhappy that his career is at a standstill, you can help write an updated resume or ask to be reinstated in school.
8. 8 Make sure you are not alone. Don't feel selfish when asking others (friends, family, or professional psychologists) to support you and your friend. After all, it can hold you back when you find yourself in tension. If you do feel overwhelmed, tell your friend that you need a break, time for yourself, other friends, or family. Tell him that you need time to rest and come back with renewed vigor. This will help establish some barriers that will let your friend know what you are ready for and what you are not ready for.
   • For example, let your friend mean that you will happily spend an evening together at least once a week, and that you will not hide your concern for him while staying safe.
   • Your friend does not have to swear to secrecy, and it is important that other people he trusts know about these attempts.
9. 9 Inspire hope. Try to instill hope in your friend for a happy future. This will help prevent future suicide attempts.Try to get your friend to think and talk about their hope. Find out how this affects his future. You can ask about:
   • Who could you turn to to feel more secure?
   • What sensations, pictures, music, colors, and objects are associated with hope?
   • How can you strengthen and develop your hope?
   • What threatens your hope?
   • Where do you go if you feel hopeless?
10. 10 Control your friend. Make an effort to let your friend know that you are thinking of him, even when you are not around. Ask him how often he would like it. You can also ask a friend how it is more convenient for him, so that you would check him, for example, by phone, or visit him.
    • When you test him, you don’t need to talk to him about suicide until it’s safe to do so.
11. 11 Watch out for warning signs. Don't make the mistake of thinking that your friend will never try to commit suicide again because he once failed. Unfortunately, about 10% of people who have threatened to attempt suicide end up killing themselves. This does not mean that you have to track your friend's every move, but you need to make sure that your friend does not send warning signs that suggest suicide. If you suspect that there is a risk that this will happen again, talk to someone and get help, especially if you notice threats or conversations about injury or murder, as well as conversations about strange death and unwillingness to be in this world. Remember these warning signs according to the rule of ZhTBTZBKGBI:
    • F - desire to die
    • T - substance abuse
    • B - meaninglessness of being
    • T - anxiety
    • З - isolation
    • B - hopelessness
    • K - death
    • G - anger
    • B - recklessness
    • And - change of mood

Method 2 of 2: Avoid Bad Behavior

1. 1 Don't scold your friend for attempting suicide. He needs love and support, not morality and morality. Your friend is likely to be experiencing shame, guilt, and emotional pain. Scolding a friend will not help you reunite and maintain a relationship.
   • You may be angry and blame your friend for not asking for your help. However, interrogation is not the best way to strengthen a relationship, especially if the attempt was made very recently.
2. 2 Admit a suicide attempt. Do not pretend that nothing happened, and do not ignore the fact that everything will return to its place. You shouldn't forget what happened even if your friend doesn't remember it. Try to say something sweet and encouraging. It's better to remember this than to say nothing at all.
   • For example, you might say that you are sorry that your friend was terribly bad, and if he needs something, you can always do it for him. Whatever you say while comforting your friend, reassure him that you care about him.
   • Remember that you are in a difficult situation, and no one knows exactly how to behave if someone close to you tried to commit suicide.
3. 3 Take this attempt seriously. Many people think that suicide is just a way to get attention and whoever tried to do it was not serious. A suicide attempt is a very serious situation that suggests that emotional pain is at the root of it. Don't tell your friend that he was just trying to get attention. Indeed, in doing so, you downplay the meaning of life and thereby make your friend feel like an empty place in this life.
   • It is very important to be as sensitive as possible. If you tell your friend that he did it only to get attention, then in fact you are not even trying to understand the situation.
   • While it will be easier for you to minimize your friend's problems, it will nudge him to try it again.
4. 4 Don't make your friend feel guilty. Making a friend feel guilty is very insensitive, even if the attempts actually make you feel hurt and betrayed by your friend.Your friend probably already feels guilty about disturbing the people around him. Instead of saying something like, "Haven't you thought about your family and friends," try to empathize with him.
   • Remember that your friend may still be depressed and all he needs is love and care.
5. 5 Give your friend time. It is not so easy to deal with suicidal tendencies. Do not think, when stuffing a friend with medicines, that his life will immediately change for the better. The thought process leading to suicide is properly complicated, and therefore the recovery process is difficult too. It is important to make sure your friend is getting the help he / she needs. Don't keep your friend's problems to a minimum, thinking that the solution is very simple.
   • The desire to heal a friend and soothe his pain so that everything falls into place is very tempting. But remember that he / she must work on this pain. The best thing you can do is support him and offer help.

Tips

• Let your friend plan ahead for something that will make you both feel good, such as jogging, exercising, or going to the beach.
• Your friend should know that strange emotions and crying are normal. The main thing is to tell him that he would not drag them out. Inspire him.
• You don't need to set yourself up to do something more - your company is enough. Enough gathering together in the park or watching movies at home.

Warnings

• Any relationship with someone who is depressed or suicidal can be very difficult for a long time.
• It doesn't matter how sincerely you feel about someone who tried to end his life, but he may refuse your friendship. Do not take this to heart, as it is very difficult for a suicidal person to accept help from a potential friend.
• Don't let the person who tried to end their life feel cornered or trapped when trying to strike up a conversation with them.