Battles of Depression and Staying Positive

[lenguy]

How do you stay positive? What do you do to keep a smile on your face? is their a daily ritual you do that keeps your mood sky high? Maybe you have a special person in your life that acts as that enthusiastic and uplifting counter balance to your pendulum of woe and unhappiness?

It can be tough for some people to remain confident and positive in a world that seems to constantly sell misery and despair. If you've ever been subject to various Television programs, be it the news or some other bogus tabloid outlet then you know that I am not embellishing any of this. They exploit tragedy and endlessly bicker and point fingers trying to find an explanation for such horrific events. I simply just avoid all of the BS and just turn off the T.V. However, its everywhere you go and its often hard to escape from with the ever growing presence of social interaction via the Internet and various social media outlets. We aren't perfect beings but they try to make it seem like they are so much better than they people who's incident they are covering. Then they shove our imperfections in our faces as if, collectively, as race, we are all to blame.

Its a sad world we live in, sure, its fact and we mustn't try and deny that. They choose to paint it in such a dark and moody manner though. As if we live in a world of constant bitter chaos and life surrendering agony. Man, we all have suffered, some worse than others but can they show the beautiful side of life once in awhile? Like, show some kid walking and older lady across the street. Maybe the elated and joyful feeling of that kid walking out of Wal-Mart with a copy of GTA 5(Shame on you mommy and daddy!). Life is more than just war, indiscretion and the tragic shortcomings of man. I digress though. Time for random statistics!

• There are an estimated 121 million people in the world living with some type of depression.

• 
  Americans share 30% - 36% of that count.

• States with higher depression rates have a these common health factors:

Obesity
Heart disease
Stroke
Sleep disorders
Lack of education
Lack of medical insurance

• 
  Depression can develop at any age but it mostly develops in women more than men

According to the American College Health Association: National College Health Assessment there are some statistics :

• In a survey in spring 2012, 46.5% of student felt hopeless.
• They also found that 86.8% of students felt that they were overwhelmed with what they had to do.
• 86.1% felt like they were exhausted.
• 57.3% felt very lonely.
• 61.0% felt very sad.
• 31.3% felt so depressed that they found it difficult to function.
• 7.1% seriously thought about committing suicide.
• 1.2% attempted suicide.
• 5.5% intentionally bruised, burned, cut or physically hurt themselves

Obviously, depression is an issue among many people. For me, it's off and on. It comes and it goes and I've learned to deal with it in a number of ways. For example, I tend to listen to a lot more uplifting music with positive themes and messages and it helps to alter my perspective a bit. Or, for those really rough days, I'll sit by myself in complete silence and mediate on it and myself. It helps, a lot actually and you get a much better sleep out of it and you'll feel a lot more rejuvenated when you wake up.

People often suggest the best way to feel better is by talking to somebody. I stopped relying on this methood because I found most of the time, people just tell you want you want to hear and not what you need to hear. Very unreliable if you ask me. Not to say that people don't care by any stretch but I just find there are far more, effective ways to build and maintain positivity. Which is exactly why I created this thread. I want to know-

How do you stay positive?

Have you ever been on the brink of emotional collapse? If so, what salvaged you from that state?

What kind/if any impact does depression have on our culture and society?

What do you think is the reason for the depression rate being so high? Why are so many people depressed in this so called "utopia" of a society we've created? (striking personal issues out the window)

Finally. If somebody you knew that is very close to you was depressed and possibly contemplating "The End". How would you convince that person to stay strong and keep on living? Effectively saving their life. Stories are welcomed if you are willing to share.

You know the drill, sound off below and as always, thank you for reading.

 

[M]

I stay positive by doing probably the most basic thing anyone will tell you to do when you're sad - doing something that makes me happy. I'm pretty lucky in that respect because there's an abundance of stuff for me to do in my house that will make me happy, but I like to think the idea behind it still holds true. (I'll get to specific happy things later)

Towards the end of 2011 I was in a pretty shit state mentally, most of my time was spent sitting around with my immortality complex (don't bother asking me to explain that) and general apathy towards life conflicting against each other. Fun times. It was around my birthday (holy shit it's next week!?!) that year that I stumbled across something I like to call "anime". It was a crappy cutesy romance comedy anime with a really weak plot but watching it made me feel the happiest I'd felt in years, nothing could wipe the smile I had from my face. Looking back its quite funny that something so simple as cute anime romantic comedies would lead to a complete change of personality, turning the old gloomy M into the cheerful, cuteness-obsessed M people know and love today.

Being a cutesy person opens a lot of doors to random stuff you can find everywhere and I love it. I'm feeling a bit off? I'll just watch an episode of Ouran Highschool Host Club and blush for the rest of the day, or I could play Ni No Kuni (brilliant game btw) for a while, or I could listen to some cutesy J-pop (listening to some Perfume ATM actually). girlfriend's on Facebook? Shoot her a message saying "meow" because I am a kitty, she's not on Facebook? Send a message to her best friend instead and joke about stealing her best friend away from her. None of the above applies to you? Look up some bunnies on google images. It feels stupid, like my brain's turning into a pink cloud of fluff, but I'm allowed to be a cutesy child every now and then if it makes me feel happy

I've only recently managed to see how other people's sadness was affecting them and how it effects the culture of people in my society, but I think a lot the impact it has is being pretty well handled by the organisations in my country that deal with it. They're pretty good with spreading the word about depression and as a result everyone is pretty well educated on the subject (I don't know how it's handled outside of aus though)

My theory for the reason behind the big depression rate is that the media has done too good a job of telling the public that they're doomed all the time, everything and everyone can kill them and to top it off there's no future for them because there's no chance in hell they're gonna afford a normal lifestyle. That's a pretty good recipie for depression right there and reporting on how people are getting more and more depressed every day doesn't exactly help that cause.

Hmmmm if there was someone close to me dealing with some stuff I'd probably just try to be a good friend, find stuff for them to do that they might enjoy, take them out with me when I go out to places - socialising might help, definitely wouldnt hurt much, main thing I'd think I'd do though is talk to them so maybe they'd talk to me. I don't really know exactly how I'd bring them out of it because I brought myself out - but hey, maybe they'd do that too.

 

[Loveless]

Well I know how I manage it but I'm not entirely sure my way is healthy.

Disconnection

It took me a long, long time to learn how to resist my worst instincts. I used to keep myself busy and work myself into exhaustion to distract myself from my thoughts but ultimately that method doesn't work, you only end up tired and frustrated.
Ultimately what helped me was realising that my thoughts weren't real, or at least were based on emotional imbalance and a distorted reality. Once you realise that, it's easier to rely on that inner voice that says "You don't really feel this way. Don't act on it, it'll pass", that mindset helped me to escape that vicious loop that you get stuck in, it takes a lot of practice though.

 

[Slash-LN]

How do you stay positive?

I surround myself with a few friends that help me forget about how things are going. I write music and play in a band with some guys that I have known half my life and just being around them and joking around and stuff tends to help.

Talking to my niece and my nephews whenever I get the chance helps a lot. One of my nephews lives with me so I can distract myself by listening to him talk about his day at school or what he's doing in sports or Cub Scouts or whatever.

Have you ever been on the brink of emotional collapse? If so, what salvaged you from that state?

In 2009 and 2011 I had really bad mental breakdowns that resulted in suicide attempts. Finally in 2011 as I was about to try another suicide attempt I decided first to talk to a friend and he talked me into checking myself into the hospital. So I did that and after being there I decided I didn't want to ever go back so when I start getting to that dark place again I do the things I mentioned above or I get online and talk to people on Facebook until I'm tired enough to fall asleep. Sometimes sleeping things off can work wonders. Sometimes it takes a few days to work things out but usually things do get better.

What kind/if any impact does depression have on our culture and society?

I think it's more accepted to talk about now. As more people talk about it and help others understand it society looks down on people less for it. More awareness is created and we have a better understanding of it.

What do you think is the reason for the depression rate being so high? Why are so many people depressed in this so called "utopia" of a society we've created? (striking personal issues out the window)

I don't think it's any higher than it used to be. I think we're just more aware of it now because people are more willing to talk about it. I'd be willing to bet if we went back in history and people were more willing to talk about it then as they are now we would see similar numbers. Outside of personal issues I don't really have an idea of what causes it. Although we are seeing lately that head injuries are a factor in some cases. Even if that's on a minimal scale. But for a healthy person who lives a pretty happy life and have minimal problems to become depressed is something I can't really explain. I used to have a substance abuse problem and went to rehab and I had to meet with a psychiatrist. (This was in 2009 the same week as a suicide attempt.) We were talking about my depression issue and he said I was depressed because I hadn't had any substances for almost a month by the time I saw him. I told him I was depressed before I went into rehab and he said I was depressed because I was taking substances before I went in and they were causing me to be depressed. I tried explaining to him that I had depression issues long before I started using substances (dating back to my childhood) but he was having none of it. I know from a personal stance when my depression issues started and what caused them.

Finally. If somebody you knew that is very close to you was depressed and possibly contemplating "The End". How would you convince that person to stay strong and keep on living? Effectively saving their life. Stories are welcomed if you are willing to share.

I have been on this side of the issue too a few times. Personally I feel like I'm about the worst person for anyone to go to when it comes to this stuff because I feel like a total hypocrite and was once called out on that after I had talked a friend out of suicide only to end up in the hospital a few days later after my own attempt. She wasn't happy with me at all and made that very clear.
I feel like everyone has something out there to live for. But I know that isn't always enough to stop them. I have great friends and I'm close with certain members of my family. There are people who trust me a depend on me to be there for them. Yet I still tried to end my own life.
When someone comes to me with the thought that they want to end their life I usually talk with them and explore the issues they are having. I understand that not everything can be fixed. My breakdown in 2009 was brought on by the death of a friend and I know she's never coming back. Had that been the reason someone else were wanting to end it all I would have pointed out the grief they feel and let it be known that they would in turn be placing that grief on the people they care about and that care about them. For those with kids that's often a place to start to talk about what they have to live for. It can be really tough sometimes in situations to find the right words to tell these people. Sometimes you just have to let them talk and say what's on their mind. I have found in most cases if you talk to them long enough they get tired and you can convince them to sleep it off. It's not always about saying the right words but just being there to listen. Often times people at their breaking point feel like there is no one there so once they are provided with someone being there they start to gain some hope. Overtime that hope builds.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

How do you stay positive?

I'm going to get into the some of the preventative measures you can take in regards to depression over the next few questions, but there is only non-negotiable foundation upon which overcoming depression rests: a sense of self-worth. If everything blew up in my face (i.e. I lost my job, family, everything else I held dear to my heart), I know I'd survive and be able to make new life for myself from scratch. I know this because I have the power to make things happen for myself. This isn't to say that I could live a fabulous life depending on no one else but myself (I couldn't), but I know that I'd be able to surround myself with a new group of people that can help me accomplish my desires and goals in life while I help them accomplish what they desire and want to achieve.

Have you ever been on the brink of emotional collapse? If so, what salvaged you from that state?

I have been diagnosed by three different clinical psychologists as having unipolar depression (the degree of its severity and its permanency has differed among them). In two cases, I was salvaged through therapy and antidepressants. In the other case, I was salvaged through the kindness of a man who believed in me and wanted to see me succeed, despite the mistakes that I have made in life. I have made plenty of mistakes in life, but the greatest decision I ever made in my life was to start learning from these mistakes.

What kind/if any impact does depression have on our culture and society?

Unfortunately, people with depression and other mental health issues are still greatly stigmatized in our society. They are seen as incapable of doing certain jobs. However, there is only one job in the world that justifiably disqualifies people from employment due to their mental health, and that's the armed services. What if you're in a war and are unable to get meds that you depend on? This is the only reasonable exception to mental health and fitness for employment.

What do you think is the reason for the depression rate being so high? Why are so many people depressed in this so called "utopia" of a society we've created? (striking personal issues out the window)

The number one cause for depression is isolation. Isolation is so prevalent in Western societies for two reasons. One, it's expected in our society to not only provide for ourselves but also to determine how we will contribute and what our purpose in life is. A tribesman in Papua New Guinea or the Amazon doesn't have to worry about any of this shit. Their chief will decide how they will contribute to their village and the tribesman will define himself according to the contributions he makes. Furthermore, the tribesman will automatically gain self-worth due to the fact that his contributions are essential to his tribe; everyone depends on him either directly or indirectly.

Two, we've replaced physical, face-to-face interaction with interaction through social media. This has not only eroded our social capital (i.e. the ability to achieve goals and get other things done through ACTUAL social networks) but has also given us the insidious power to delude ourselves into thinking that we're something we're not. The show Catfish powerfully substantiates my last point.

Finally. If somebody you knew that is very close to you was depressed and possibly contemplating "The End". How would you convince that person to stay strong and keep on living? Effectively saving their life. Stories are welcomed if you are willing to share.

As someone who has not only contemplated but actually gone a step further, I can tell you that there is nothing more profound in this world than being on the brink of committing suicide. I remember being at an astronomy laboratory doing undergrad on the roof of my university's physics building. Now, the building wasn't huge, but the distance between the roof and the sidewalk would have been sufficient enough to, if not kill me, at the very least put me in a coma. When I went to the ledge of the building and looked down, it suddenly dawned on me that I was in complete control of my life. Whether or not I jumped was my decision and only my decision. The only thing that other people's actions can do is alter the set of options I have to choose from. Ultimately, I always determine where my life is headed. After this revelation, I have never again felt the urge to commit suicide.

In regards to your question, the only thing you can really do to someone who is contemplating suicide is to give them all of the lines that have been recited a thousand times in after school specials. Most people only learn from their own actions.

 

[braveh]

I like this quote from Mitt Romney, let's forget about the politics, he was very successful in his life before he went into politics so I think we can learn from him.

Life sucks but you go to work every day because you have to do it. You send your family money every week because you have to do it....or whatever it is. You don't quit in life because that's not what you do. That's not who you are.

And you did it because you are an American, and you don't quit. You
did it because that was because it was because you had to do.
The driving home late from that second job, or standing there
and watching the gas pump hit $50 and still going. When the
realtor told you that to sell your house you'd have to take a
big loss on your house. In those moments, you knew that this
just was not right.

you knew that this just was not right. But what could you do except work harder,
do with less, try to stay optimistic, hug your kids a little
longer, maybe spend more time praying tomorrow would be a better
day.

 

[Mustang Sally]

How do you stay positive?

By keeping busy, which doesn't include watching TV all day. Even if you don't have a job, you can engage in hobbies, volunteer your services or do something else that keeps you productive and less subject to depression. Try especially to do things that involve other people; human interaction is a great way to take focus off your problems and turn your energies in a positive direction. At the same time, don't let everything be dependent on surrounding yourself with as many people as possible.....using your own mind to accomplish things is just as valuable.

What do you think is the reason for the depression rate being so high? Why are so many people depressed in this so called "utopia" of a society we've created?

You can write a book describing all this, but one thing that always comes to mind is what the media feeds us. Most of the news we get is negative and so many of the leanings of what is reported is depressing.

Example: There was a story a few weeks ago about a 6-year-old in Montana who fell down a well and died. I ask you: Why is this news? Why is this something that people in New York or Mississippi have to have fed to them on the evening news? How is anything going to be improved in our lives by knowing this happened? If you tell me it's "the people's right to know" I'd ask why this is something they'd want to know.

The answer is obvious, though sad: this is the kind of thing people do want to hear about when they watch the news. Media outlets are well aware that if they report nothing but nice things happening in society, people will turn elsewhere to get their news. Great, huh? I've often wondered how much of the defeatist attitude (or depression) of many folks in our country comes from this. Certainly, it's not going to cheer people up, is it?

Here's one: Did you ever notice that weather reports on newscasts used to be introduced as: "Here's a report from the Weather Center?"

Do we get that today? I don't think so. Instead, the newscaster leads us to the segment by saying: "Let's go to the Storm Center." Even if it's 80 degrees with the sun shining, they have to deliver us to the next point with a negative connotation that denotes that something bad might be coming at any moment.

All the negativity adds up.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

How do YOU stay positive?

No idea. I just am. I do not know enough about depression to say a definitive one way or the other, but it seems like the ability to be continuously resilient and positive is just as inherent and undefinable as it is to wake up every day depressed. I just automatically flip to the positive side of any and all situations, and embrace them. If there is no positive to the situation, I simply chalk it up as pennance for all the situations im involved in to which there is no negative. I have also mastered the art of accepting fate.....if there is something to do done about your situation, then do it...all you can give is your best. If there is nothing to be done about your situation, then you are wasting time being upset about it.

Have you ever been on the brink of emotional collapse? If so, what salvaged you from that state?

Nah. There were times when I was younger (like a kid/teen) when things felt pretty bleak here and there, but never to the point were I felt about to collapse.

What kind/if any impact does depression have on our culture and society?

Immense. A ton of titty baby weak-minded losers want to use depression as a scapegoat for their failures and lack of resolve....Which sucks majorly for people who are actually depressed / afflicted with mental illness.

However, there is only one job in the world that justifiably disqualifies people from employment due to their mental health, and that's the armed services. What if you're in a war and are unable to get meds that you depend on? This is the only reasonable exception to mental health and fitness for employment.

Been there. Had a guy in my squad during my deployment last year who was like this. As much as it is always my intent to be as tolerant and paitent as possible, it was extremely fucking irritating (not that it was his fault or intentional, obviously)....In this enviornment, there is no 2-deep roster. If one guy is out of the game, its up to everyone else to make up for his workload, and this is when your all overcoming ridiculous logistical obstacles on a daily basis ANYWAYS. For those of you ready to get on your white knight outfits and et your pussy wings spread, im not saying its RIGHT to get angry with someone in that situation, but its human nature....Your gettting very little sleep, food, in an extremely stressfu enviornment, and when someone has an ailment which is undetectable to the human eye....Your going to get angry with them. If someone has their leg blown off, ok, obviously, you can SEE he cant work like everyone else. He has one fuckin' leg. When someone appears to be physically fine, yet does not carry their (or any) weight, its human nature to get pissed....Especially given that most folks fear the stigma of mental illness, and chose to say nothing about what is going on with them. Even given this, I would not advocate kicking him or anyone else out if they are diagnosed after they are already enlisted. They can still serve a purpose doing stateside missions, and just be put on non deployable medical status until their enlistment is up.

What do you think is the reason for the depression rate being so high? Why are so many people depressed in this so called "utopia" of a society we've created? (striking personal issues out the window)

The reason is as I have said above....Way too many people take advantage of what is a more tolerant soceity, and simply turn to saying they have an illness to excuse themselves for being a waste of cells and oxygen. We have turned nearly every form of failure in life into an "illness" of some sort, and thus, you will get a much higher rate of them (many of these are fortunate, as well, as they are legit cases which would have gone undiagnosed before)

Utopias are soft.

Finally. If somebody you knew that is very close to you was depressed and possibly contemplating "The End". How would you convince that person to stay strong and keep on living? Effectively saving their life. Stories are welcomed if you are willing to share.

As someone who has not only contemplated but actually gone a step further, I can tell you that there is nothing more profound in this world than being on the brink of committing suicide. I remember being at an astronomy laboratory doing undergrad on the roof of my university's physics building. Now, the building wasn't huge, but the distance between the roof and the sidewalk would have been sufficient enough to, if not kill me, at the very least put me in a coma. When I went to the ledge of the building and looked down, it suddenly dawned on me that I was in complete control of my life. Whether or not I jumped was my decision and only my decision. The only thing that other people's actions can do is alter the set of options I have to choose from. Ultimately, I always determine where my life is headed. After this revelation, I have never again felt the urge to commit suicide.

In regards to your question, the only thing you can really do to someone who is contemplating suicide is to give them all of the lines that have been recited a thousand times in after school specials. Most people only learn from their own actions.

I chose to quote this, because it totally vindicates my methods when it comes to this subject, which often, people get their feathers all ruffled over, and call callous.

I do nothing. I tell them its selfish as fuck, to hurt everyone who cares about them...but beyond that, who am I to tell THEM about their life, how they feel, what they go through....Who am I to tell them their life should continue if they, themselves, dont want it to? Im not them, im not in their shoes, and its arrogant to tell someone how good they have it, as if you have a fucking clue what they are going through, and what they should do. They are in control of their life, their choices, and what they want to do with it.

Shit, a lot of times, I have found simply telling someone "In the end, its YOUR decision" is empowering enough on its own, to help someone begin to feel better. Thats if they are a legit depression suicide threat. If they are one of those titty babies I highlighted earlier, the lack of attention and sympathy they so crave is denied(like when my mother texts me to tell me she is going to kill herself, once or twice a year, and I proceed to tell her to fuck off, and that she is being an idiot) they press on in life, one way or the other.

 

[JGlass]

In response to NorCal (I don't feel like pulling quotes from it), I think the problem with diagnosing mental illnesses right now is that we still have done a shit job of defining it. Right now there's a large window for depression that, on one end involves people who are just bummed out because life isn't everything they thought it would be, and on the other end involves people that are a danger to themselves and possibly others. Even more major mental illnesses like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are poorly defined diseases that are so tricky to diagnose that a lot of people just get medicated for it because their doctors don't know what else to do for them. We all know someone that can go from being perfectly cool to being a complete mess in a heartbeat, but that doesn't mean they're bipolar: it means they can't control their emotions. But if controlling your emotions is a problem, then you might want your doctor to do something about that for you, and if all the doctor can prescribe are meds for bipolar disorder, then that's what you'll probably get.

I have taken anti-depressants since 2010, but I don't think I've ever had depression. I do get anxiety, and I think the anti-depressants were given to me preemptively to prevent that anxiety from mounting into panic attacks and what not, but I don't know if I've ever been depressed or at risk of being depressed. Is there a better way to handle my anxiety than with anti-depressants? Possibly, but I've found the pills to be pretty effective, and I've always tried very hard to not let my anxiety get in the way of what I want to do or what other people need of me (I'm not always successful, but I always do everything I can), so I don't see any sort of big deal apart from the regular risk of side effects.

The problem is far more deep than making every form of failure into a disease: it's just a matter of people seeing doctors as these miracle healers that can cure all their problems (or supposed problems), and the doctors have delivered with diagnoses and remedies that fix the symptoms without really attacking the problem.

I also think most emotional issues (but not mental illness, of course) can be solved with talking to a therapist or psychologist, but I think a lot of people prefer to get the "quick fix" in the form of pills over the process that is going to a shrink and having to work on yourself. I'm sure money has a lot to do with it as well since getting your doctor to write you a refill for your prescriptions every few months is a fuck ton cheaper than going to a therapist once a week.

Ultimately, we have a problem understanding mental illness in our country, and probably the whole world. It's pretty fucked up when 13% of Americans take anti-depressants but only 10% of Americans are in out-patient psychotherapy.

 

[LSN80]

• There are an estimated 121 million people in the world living with some type of depression.

This I believe, as it's more and more I see the people I meet and do therapy with don't fit into the 'typecasts' that most people associate with mental illness. In fact, today more then ever, people use going to therapy as if it is part of 'diversifying their portfolio', so to speak. I was recently at a wedding with my wife, and we were sitting a table with two women who were doing exactly that: Discussing therapy, and encouraging others to go as well....As if it were some kind of fad.

And it's people such as this that discredit therapy, both in idea and execution. One who isn't sick with cancer doesn't receive chemo. While tougher to distinguish, those who don't suffer from mental illness shouldn't be receiving services because it's the 'fad' of the week.

• 
  Americans share 30% - 36% of that count.

Isn't this something? While we may not be thriving, exactly, we're better off than most countries. Yet 1/3 of the people who suffer from depression are American's, and so much of it is entitlements. Either we had delusions about who we would become, or an expectation of what life owes us.

And as a result, we wind up with a population, who, on the whole, have a higher depression rate than the most war-stricken, empoverished nations. Because somewhere down the line, we've been taught we deserve and are owed more.

How do you stay positive?

Staying positive for me can depend on any number of factors. The largest is simply surrounding myself with people I know are supportive, but, at the same time, will be honest with me. When I'm down, the last thing I want is someone to simply placate me to help me feel better. My wife, close friends, and those who work for me are all people who do exactly this. People who give me a realistic idea of the situation I'm walking into or going through, rather than sugarcoating it, help me stay positive, incredibly.

The other major factor for me is simply getting away from the place or situation. Not through avoidance, but rather, separation. They say the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over, expecting different results. The same can be said for staying in the same "place" where a depressing situation has occurred. If you can afford it, I'd recommend a "getaway" to anyone going through a difficult time, be it only for the night, even.

Have you ever been on the brink of emotional collapse? If so, what salvaged you from that state?

I have, and it was in seeing that the person going through it with me was coming through that enabled me to begin to heal. That, along with her help as well, helped pull me through.

As for the person contemplating suicide, I would get them to consider things they have to live for. I'm not one to tell someone their life is worth living if they believe it to be not. However, a suicidal person can often, through conversation, communicate reasons to live they hadn't before, and in doing so, find the reasons to be alive more purposeful than the desire to die.

More than anything, however, an untrained individual is capable of saving a "life" as well. Convince someone you care about them, sincerely, and more often than not, you can give the most suicidal person a reason to live.