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Aug 27, 2009Comments: 334 · Posts: 8771 · Topics: 323
My Leo friend is talking suicide... suicide by cop to be exact. I'm the one he turns to for everything, so, I am the one to best handle this (I think anyway). I have no problem verbally smacking him up and have no problem knocking him upside his head physically if need be. But, I'm not sure if this is enough this time... he's got a date and a list before he goes out, as he puts it (no I'm not on the list - I asked).
How do I best handle this?
Thoughts, PLEASE....
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Aug 27, 2009Comments: 334 · Posts: 8771 · Topics: 323
Damen, that was distasteful!
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Sep 20, 2008Comments: 1470 · Posts: 13777 · Topics: 204
So what's his problem exactly, why does he want to die? And what do you mean by date & list?
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May 22, 2011Comments: 18 · Posts: 3539 · Topics: 200
reminds me of "MADE IT MA! TOP OF THE WORLD!"
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Sep 20, 2008Comments: 1470 · Posts: 13777 · Topics: 204
@ TasteOfChaos: Hm, I don't think Leos are usually THAT dramatic for the sake of attention. It's more of a Cancer thing. They are always frustrated and drastic.
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Mar 13, 2010Comments: 5 · Posts: 4244 · Topics: 258
I learned about this simultaneously through criminology and psychology.
Suicide by cop literally means he wants to commit suicide by forcing cops to use lethal force on him; which means he's going to have to commit something truly heinous to get them to do that. It's likely that if he went through with this, he's going to instigate the cops so that they shoot him; also in this case, it sounds like he's going to take people down with him, whether on purpose or just to get the cops to actually kill him.
I'm not clinically trained to do suicidal assessments on people, but I am currently learning how to do this with inmates, so I can try to help in some way.
Does he have a set plan? You should actually sit him down and ask him about the feelings and thoughts he's had about harming himself and/or others. Ask him if he has a plan, if he has the necessary materials, how long he's been planning this, how he plans to go through with this. Ask him who's on his list, when he plans to do this. Ask him as many necessary plans as possible. If his attempt at suicide by cop is imminent (meaning going to happen for sure), it's mostly likely he's got a plan down to a tee and that he's going to commit it soon. If you can determine that it's happening immediately, you NEED to call for help. This isn't just a suicide attempt, it also sounds like he has plans to harm others.
If you want to save your friend, you need to go behind his back and get help as soon as you can. Call police, call people who know him, ect. You need to figure out where he's storing weapons, what kind of weapons, ect. If you can, you should try to ask his permission to getting help. If he refuses, you should try getting help anyway.
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Apr 07, 2011Comments: 0 · Posts: 1325 · Topics: 0
...when someone says they will commit suicide whichever way...even if they have been talking about it for years...believe them...I grew up with a father that constantly told us he would kill himself...how...what...why every detail to the point of kneeling in front of us and holding a shotgun to his mouth to show us how...when we were just kids...true to his words he did exactly that ...exactly how he said he would...even phoned us he was just about to do it...it's just a matter of their breaking point and it's done...they plan it well in advanced...
He needs help immediately...professional !!
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Apr 13, 2005Comments: 0 · Posts: 44084 · Topics: 685
Something I find interesting with things like this, and Candeh is likely learning about the psychology of it also ... is that when people do things like this, or when they commit suicide ... thier people always say things to suggest that they didn't know it was going to happen, that if they had an inkling that little Johnny needed help then they would have done something .. alas, they didn't know, he always seemed like happy boy.
In reality .. a person suffering distraught isn't diabolical until AFTER nobody did anything about his pleas for help.
Generally, a person would rather be heard, they would rather their words be taken seriously, they would prefer that somebody notice that they have a problem in which they cannot resolve, or notice that their heart/feelings have been gutted so harshly that they don't know how to proceed living under those circumstances.
Those people are usually faced with bullshit like ... you're ok, you'll be fine, don't worry about it, that's just the way people are dear, you just have to ignore it, just move on, we love you isn't that what matters?
None of that ^^^^^^^^^^^^ does anything for the person seeking help ... it does make the person saying it feel like they said something, without having to get involved, until AFTER the fact, when they comment in saying something like ...
.... he could have talked to me, I would have helped if I had known.
It really grieves me to no end that people are superificial, yet, think they are helping by offering support rather than actually answers.
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Apr 13, 2005Comments: 0 · Posts: 44084 · Topics: 685
The most important thing to realize with suicide is that you are the person afraid .. they are not.
When you walk on eggshells and get a little freaked about the reality of this prospect with a person you know .... the first thing you have to put in your mind is that you are the one afraid of that reality, not them.
So, Candeh would be correct when she says, "talking to them about it is never a reason to believe that you are pushing the person further to commit suicide" .. and that is exactly what people believe and in so doing, think that if they talk to the person wanting to die that they will scare them into doing it more.
Don't forget .. you can't scare them by talking about it because they aren't afraid of it.
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Aug 27, 2009Comments: 334 · Posts: 8771 · Topics: 323
Candeh gave a great interpretation of what I was saying. Yes, suicide by cop is to set yourself up to be killed by them. And, yes, he has a specific date in mind, the date his mom passed 2 years ago. And, yes, there is a list of people in his mind he wants to take out before the planned standoff.
I did speak with the police yesterday morning, prior to ever posting here. When I spoke to my Leo friend last night he expressed is discontent with "someone" reporting it. I had told the police that I was concerned he would be mad with me. The same officers who were at my house were the one's who went to visit him so they knew my position and maintained my anonymity - which they do have to do. According to him, he wanted them to charge "whomever" contacted them for making a false police report. Although, he did call the suicide hotline on their request, while they were there but denied having such thoughts. So, that still leaves me as his confidant and the one to talk him through things I think. He must have shared with someone else though as he didn't point the finger at me. Actually, he pointed the finger at the police and considers himself a marked man for getting into a scuffle with a female officer when arrested for a DUI last week. Yes, that is the catalyst at this point (and an ex girlfriend). So, pushing him closer, I'm not sure, it almost seems that way as he feels attention has been unduly drawn to him by law enforcement, which he doesn't trust and feels that they are out to get him.
He seems calmer tonight though... not talking crazy shit. I just need to be supportive with what he's going through and keep him on the straight and narrow!
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Oct 25, 2009Comments: 9 · Posts: 4248 · Topics: 32
"...calm can be a sign he is going through with it..."
Yes.
Honestly, he sounds like a fucking coward. Could never consider him a friend, but in the meantime, you need to get him admitted. Record his converstions, do whatever it takes. Because if he does follow through, you will forever feel responsible in some way.