This site's creators are definitely NOT mental health experts, but have BEEN in your situation and will offer our OPINION. Many of the sites we found dealing with suicide, suggest for you to call 911 if someone is discussing committing suicide.

We do NOT believe that 911 is always the best answer or solution to the situation. We are in NO way suggesting that you do not contact them, BUT in CERTAIN situations, law enforcement (and they will send law enforcement) can make that situation MUCH WORSE. On the other hand, if a person has acted, (i.e. taking a bunch of pills or cutting their wrist) CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. If someone is feeling suicidal, many times outsiders make the situation worse. Seek help, BY ALL MEANS. Help comes in the form of listening, talking, and understanding, and not just panicking and calling 911.

Think about this: Your friend has a firearm and is considering suicide. You call 911. Law enforcement arrives and surrounds the place with FIREARMS drawn. And they will more than likely come with firearms drawn if your friend has a deadly weapon. We have seen this occur a few times on the show COPS. Your friend has to face possibly being arrested, or committed to a mental institution, or suicide to avoid even more problems. What if they panic and kill themselves?

Did you help by getting the authorities involved? Would you regret calling 911? What if YOU or a professional could have changed the situation with using words and NOT with ARMED MEN surrounding them? In this situation, would those other websites still think 911 was the solution? We don't dispute that a suicidal person NEEDS HELP. Most all of them WANT HELP. Again, HELP comes in VARIOUS DIFFERENT FORMS other than 911. Having the authorities involved in some situations can OCCASIONALLY do more HARM than GOOD.

If you hadn't called 911 and had talked to your friend and convinced them to surrender the weapon to you, couldn't that have worked better? A suicidal person is usually NOT homicidal. Many people who consider suicide want help from someone they TRUST.

EACH SUICIDAL SCENARIO IS DIFFERENT. WILL 911 HELP OR MAKE IT WORSE? CAN SOMEONE ELSE HELP MORE INSTEAD?

A suicidal person definitely needs HELP. THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS ABOVE ARE A GOOD PLACE TO START.

NEVER GET ANGRY OR FRUSTERATED WITH A SUICIDAL PERSON. ANGER IS JUST GIVING THEM ANOTHER REASON TO DIE.