Suicidal friend - NHS response?

Ksanti

Ksanti

Ksanti

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Okay I'm really worried about an indirect friend. I don't know the guy myself, and I know it's not really my business, but the basic deal is: He's depressed. From what I hear he sounds bipolar, though he hasn't been diagnosed with it and isn't on medication for it (he went from professing his love to a girl after going out with her for a week, and telling another one of my friends that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him, to suicidal after she didn't return the sentiment)

I don't know too much about this, but what is the NHS's role here? With regard to sectioning etc. The friend I have who knows him best (let's call her S) says that he's not suicidal at the moment, as he has this other girl (E). Now, idk if it's just me, but just having E as a short term girlfriend (given she was properly freaked out by the 'I love you' speech), seems a pretty tenuous link to non-suicidal tendencies...

I don't know the law, or anything about this, but surely if suicidal thoughts are involved due to clear mental illness they have some responsibility? Sectioning? I don't know what I can do here... I'll go to a hospital to find out if S doesn't, but I'm confused as to what to do here. Doing nothing and risking his suicide seems crazy!
 
Many people feel depressed at various points in their life and many feel suicidal. How do you know he is suicidal?

Sectioning is a very singificant thing (my sister-in-law is a private health nurse and has done it on a few occasions). Wouldn't it be better if you took him to one side, sat him down, and explained how you are worried about him? He might dismiss it initially but if he really is that depressed then he may just give you a call in the future to talk things through.

The best you can do is just let him know you're there to help if he wants to talk.
 
I've only heard about this recently and so cannot comment, but S has known him for years and this has been going on the whole time.

I don't know the guy, but I feel like I need to at least get informed about it to help out, just leaving it seems too risky when there are potentially lives involved. He has councillors, private doctors etc., but whatever they're doing clearly isn't working if, while going out with E, he says stuff like "the feeling of loneliness just invokes so much despair and futility in everything that regret, death and pointless just cloud my every waking moment".

I'd call emo but he's on anti-depressant pills and has the doctors etc. so clearly there is a problem
 
It would probably be better if you contacted the Samaritans or CAB or ... well, anyone other than a computer forum.

The NHS has no direct responsibility for people who are not yet patients so forget that.

He hasn't been diagnosed with bipolar and is on no medication? So where did these suggestions come from? Yourself? Him? These friends?

Speak to someone who can actually help you, actually give you proper, solid advice and actually knows how these things work. GD is, as always, not that place.

e : Call NHS 24 if you're going down that route. They won't be able to help but they may have numbers of organisations who can.
 
Theres no hard and fast rule about it, but the ones that off themselves tend generally to be the quiet ones, those saying stuff like you quoted tend to be looking for attention as much as anything - tho long term lack of that attention could push them towards more serious suicidal tendancies.

Its a tricky situation, short of talking to him there isn't a huge amount you can do.
 
Ksanti said:
I don't know too much about this, but what is the NHS's role here? With regard to sectioning etc.
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You want to section a man you don't know?

It's probably better that you bring this to the attention of someone that is more closer to this man than S. Do you know anyone like that?
 
First of all, Don't make him feel like he's mental. ie. Don't go to him specifically just to say "Hey you're suicidal, go see a doctor".

Instead get a close friend of his to have a joke about it with him.

I've had a couple very close friends get a bit depressed and a nice tactful joke about it makes them float back to reality.
 
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asim18 said:
First of all, Don't make him feel like he's mental. ie. Don't go to him specifically just to say "Hey you're suicidal, go see a doctor".

Instead get a close friend of his to have a joke about it with him.

I've had a couple very close friends get a bit depressed and a nice tactful joke about it makes them float back to reality.
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Thats that stupidist thing I have ever heard! Joke about suicide? Nice one :rolleyes:

Sounds like he needs to grow up tbh. People who are genuinely suicidal don't tell you, they just get on with it. People who tell you are seeking attention.

If he is serious, get him to come on here and lolAsim can get him a mac10 in less than three minutes. Or maybe he can cheer him up with his multi coloured willy.
 
Went through this years ago with a friend and last year with my brother. Although in my brother's case he was able to admit that he wasn't himself and was thinking of doing something to himself. In his case the suicidal tendencies came from psychotic episodes he was suffering.

Upon going to the GP to talk about it we received twice daily visits from a local NHS emergency care team of psychiatric doctors and nurses through the 'critical period'. After this time had elapsed and the medication had kicked in, a new team visited less frequently in the week to discuss progress and any problems.

So in response to OP, there is likely to be NHS help in your area - if in doubt perhaps talk to a local GP. I wouldn't worry about sectioning, there's a lot of medication and support that can avoid this - my friend was hearing voices and more but managed to be treated at home.

Going on for a year now and my brother is a lot better, although still on medication which they're now reducing in strength. Going through this has actually raised questions as to whether he's autistic.
 
I don't mean to sound harsh, and from someone that has been dealing with family like this for 20 years now, if he's not your friend just stay away from it.

It's a ball ache you don't need, let your friends deal with the **** that comes with it.

Family members you have to help out, even close friends, someone you don't know who claims they love someone after a week can't be good news!
 
seriously. you don't just section someone. it is a life changing thing and really would be a last resort.
there are psycology services out there but the best bet is to get them to talk to their GP to ask for this help. I'd say as a first step, let them know there's someone there for them (i.e. you, "S", whoever) who cares.
 
if hes immediately at risk of suicide call the police, they will drag him off to hospital, if not he can call the community mental health crisis team
 
Why are you sticking your nose into someone elses business when you dont even know the lad and everything you do know is just hearsay?

Stay out of it.
 
Tefal said:
Then they'll notice problems and deal with them rather than random stragers.
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If he's still feeling like this, making himself throw up as self-punishment/out of depression after E didn't say she loved him, I can't see that they're doing their job?


Deluxe1 said:
Why are you sticking your nose into someone elses business when you dont even know the lad and everything you do know is just hearsay?

Stay out of it.
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The text was a direct quote from a text he sent to a friend of 8 years (S), it's not just rumours.


rodo said:
Went through this years ago with a friend and last year with my brother. Although in my brother's case he was able to admit that he wasn't himself and was thinking of doing something to himself. In his case the suicidal tendencies came from psychotic episodes he was suffering.

Upon going to the GP to talk about it we received twice daily visits from a local NHS emergency care team of psychiatric doctors and nurses through the 'critical period'. After this time had elapsed and the medication had kicked in, a new team visited less frequently in the week to discuss progress and any problems.

So in response to OP, there is likely to be NHS help in your area - if in doubt perhaps talk to a local GP. I wouldn't worry about sectioning, there's a lot of medication and support that can avoid this - my friend was hearing voices and more but managed to be treated at home.

Going on for a year now and my brother is a lot better, although still on medication which they're now reducing in strength. Going through this has actually raised questions as to whether he's autistic.
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Thanks for the constructive post, I'll look into that.


sniffy said:
You want to section a man you don't know?

It's probably better that you bring this to the attention of someone that is more closer to this man than S. Do you know anyone like that?
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I don't particularly, but I want to do something... If you thought someone was suicidal wouldn't you want to help them out of it?

I don't know his family, though he's been friends with S for many years since childhood.


[FnG]magnolia;19139886 said:
It would probably be better if you contacted the Samaritans or CAB or ... well, anyone other than a computer forum.

The NHS has no direct responsibility for people who are not yet patients so forget that.

He hasn't been diagnosed with bipolar and is on no medication? So where did these suggestions come from? Yourself? Him? These friends?

Speak to someone who can actually help you, actually give you proper, solid advice and actually knows how these things work. GD is, as always, not that place.

e : Call NHS 24 if you're going down that route. They won't be able to help but they may have numbers of organisations who can.
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S seems to think he is, and from what I've heard (one week high of seeing a new girl, profession of love, really intense, followed by making himself throw up and suicidal thoughts after she didn't respond and said he'd freaked her out), it sounds like a distinct possibility. He's on anti-depressants, but not bipolar medication. Of course I questioned why the doctors wouldn't have seen it if he was actually bipolar but other than attention seeking, I can't explain his behaviour.
 
If you're going to get in to this with him (here's a hint : don't) then you should seek help from those who can, you know, help you. GD is not that place.

At best he needs a swift, sharp slap to knock his emo-ness into shape and at worst he needs clinical aid and direction. I'd have a really good think about this before jumping in.

e : wait, I missed a bit there. Unless 'S' is a medical or healthcare professional her opinion means nothing.
 
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