[runnerup]

I know how to help someone buy a plane ticket, and I can program a computer to help them do that.

I often do know how to help people deal with non suicidal depression but I dont always have time and energy to help…and I definitely cannot program a computer to do what I know how to do.

I don’t have any clue how to help someone reduce suicidal intent.

[jimmygrapes]

I've thought about this topic a lot myself (how to reduce or remove suicidal intent) and the most consistently "successful" and promising (yet still vague) solution has been: make an IMMEDIATE and significant change in the suicidal person's environment. Environment includes where they are, how much money/debt/costs they have, who they are in contact with, and many other factors. These are the factors that underlie and trigger the suicidal intent (n.b. depression may exist but it is entirely orthogonal under this premise).

I don't mean "fix the problem that made them suicidal."

I mean physically pick them up and take them somewhere else (a safe place preferably, but there's something to be said for a sudden shock of actual danger). I mean send them a thousand bucks. I mean pay off their car loan, pay their rent for a year, something that eliminates that primary stressor.

Suicide is very often a single/recurrent practical situation that gets catastrophized into sheer despair, yes often with other mental health concerns confounding. But you can't fix those immediately. You can bring force to rehab (not great, many downsides). You can take them for coffee.

Talking might help, in fact it's necessary, but it's not enough.

[jpindar]

Truth. The only reason I'm suicidal is that I'm broke.