Undead

I would be supportive. I would respect their wishes and needs. People become suicidal when their pain exceeds their tolerance for it. If you can ease their pain for just a moment, to somehow help them shoulder the burden, then they will live for that moment longer. It's not really a desire to die, it's the need to escape the agony of life. Even a momentary distraction from that hell can help. Don't tell them they shouldn't feel that way. Don't tell them how much they have going for them -- it's alienating. People have tried to help me by reminding me of my achievements, and my talents. It does not help. It makes things worse. It makes me realize that they don't get it. They don't understand. I did well enough in my profession to retire at 40. I know that many would envy much of what I have achieved. I know that many would sell their soul for a fraction of my ability. What no one else seems to understand is that these things are meaningless to me. No. There is one person who understands. The rest seem to think that my past successes should somehow negate the unbearable agony that has become my daily existence. I still have some hope that my misery may end before my life does, but everyday that hope diminishes. Everyday is harder to live. The best thing you can do for your friend is to distract him. To be with him so that he will not make the attempt. Be honest as well. Don't pretend to understand when you don't. It's alienating. It heightens the pain. Don't try to talk him out of it either. That may goad him into doing it. It is humiliating enough to hurt this much, don't ad to it.

It really angers me when people say this. How can you make a promise like that?

This would not be much, but it would be something.

That's very easy to say Boundries.