I had a long talk with my son last night and I'm feeling so drained! I'm relieved when he talks to me and gets these things out, but I just don't know what to do after. It makes me feel like a failure and completely helpless.

He told me the only reason he doesn't commit suicide is because he knows it would destroy me. While I'm relieved that he has a reason to stay alive (even if it is just for me) I want him to want to live for himself. He feels so hopeless and I don't have the right words to give him hope.

He said he's worried he could be a sociopath - I was completely stunned - he has such a gentle heart and has never acted out in anger, he has always internalized his feelings and taken them out on himself. He said he either feels so much pain at others suffering that he can't bear it or he feels absolutely no empathy whatsoever and those are the times he thinks he could hurt someone without a second thought.

How do I help him deal with all these emotions without letting him pull me under in the process? I feel selfish, I feel like I should be strong. I don't have the words to help him, even though I try. I don't know how to have him look at the other side of things and try to find hope and a reason. I've tried going through all the cognitive distortions with him and he is just so desperate he can't see things any other way.

Help! We are both drowning here!