Medication has been the only damn thing that has ever helped me in this situation. You want me to help them, well I'm trying! We all know the sooner they pick up that phone the sooner the police can come out there and help them. The police are professionally trained to respond to situations like this, it's called a welfare check. They do these welfare checks throughout the country on a daily basis. It's a standard procedure, and contrary to what many may think they don't automatically hull someone off to the psychiatric hospital. They assess the situation and respond accordingly. However, most of the time the situation does warrant moving someone to a hospital and they are the only ones who can do that!

Trying to say that we are what's best for these individuals is almost selfish because we are the one thing that's keeping them from getting the help they truly need. Do you honestly think that telling someone not to kill themselves is actually going to be helpful with someone who has resolved to actually kill themselves? At best I think that's delusional thinking.

I'm ok with them coming here to chat about it after they're better, but we are not equipped to deal with anyone who is actually suicidal. The ones who are not actually suicidal are more or less just emotionally blackmailing us. The reality is that the group of people we can actually help are likely already seeking out professional help or just need a small nudge to get professional help. The rest we can't help.

Is this thread flagged as triggering? I don't even know how to tell. I don't know how I got sucked into this conversation, but here I am.