My distant sibling, diagnosed with bipolar some time ago (I don't know any solid details, unfortunately), fell out of touch with me for years. Now he's back in touch, but mostly just to drop dramatic texts on me ("I'm at the hospital", or, tonight, "I'm with the police, I'll call you when I'm released") and then not answer my increasingly plaintive texts or phone calls. I haven't been the prime target of this sort of thing before, what seems to be big swings of mental illness with the hospital and sheriffs and police involved, and the person involved giving me a bit of information but then nothing. Can anyone with more experience give me some advice as to ways I might handle it? [more inside]
posted by theatro on Apr 7, 2013 - 13 answers

How to talk with my 8-yr old about his older depressed cousin's suicide? [more inside]
posted by ValveAnnex on Jun 15, 2012 - 20 answers

My father recently intimated without saying outright that he was thinking of ending his life. He's 77, has been living with the after effects of strokes for about 15 years or more and has lost his ability to enjoy pretty much all of his passions. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 14, 2010 - 33 answers

I just got back to work after taking a week for the holidays, which is apparently a big no-no at my job because this is an insanely busy time for the office. My boyfriend and I just learned that his best friend committed suicide last night. I'd like to take off [more] work but I don't know how to tell my colleagues what's going on without sounding manipulative or lazy. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Dec 29, 2008 - 26 answers

Earlier this year, my cousin shot himself. I'd been estranged from him for several years, but we used to be close. How do I go about getting information about his death and about the last few years of his life? [more inside]
posted by desjardins on Dec 28, 2007 - 7 answers

An older member of my family is hinting at suicide. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 13, 2006 - 11 answers

Help save my brother's life. [more inside] [more inside]
posted by Coffeemate on Jul 29, 2004 - 78 answers