What can I do to help someone who may be suicidal?

Take it seriously.
Myth: “The people who talk about it don't do it.” Studies have found that more than 75% of all completed suicides did things in the few weeks or months prior to their deaths to indicate to others that they were in deep despair. Anyone expressing suicidal feelings needs immediate attention.

Myth: “Anyone who tries to kill himself has got to be crazy.” Perhaps 10% of all suicidal people are psychotic or have delusional beliefs about reality. Most suicidal people suffer from the recognized mental illness of depression; but many depressed people adequately manage their daily affairs. The absence of “craziness” does not mean the absence of suicide risk.

“Those problems weren't enough to commit suicide over,” is often said by people who knew a completed suicide. You cannot assume that because you feel something is not worth being suicidal about, that the person you are with feels the same way. It is not how bad the problem is, but how badly it's hurting the person who has it.

http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/whattodo.htm

I know these posts are from 3-4 months ago, but thanks for posting because I totally agree with this. Especially the second one.

It always upsets me when others dismiss a suicidal person and think it's no big deal it can be cured simply by yelling at them or giving them tough love - say with teens. I'm sure their intentions are in the right place, but many people probably just don't have enough patience or understanding to really get to the root of someone's problems. Even if they're right, they don't always have to be right - some people are in an emotionally fragile state.

Thing is - everybody's been depressed before, so I'm surprised more people can't relate at least in a way. Even if I haven't gone through some stuff myself, I'm just the type where I can awlays empathize. It seems simple enough to me.

Granted some suicides will tragically still happen, but lots of times I really think the best solution is also the simplest one... just someone else who understands and won't judge them.

I suffer from chronic depression and have lost loved ones to suicide. Its not easy by any means and I want to help others who suffer from this too. Getting the word out and making others aware is the best start!