How do you deal with suicidal people

[Alex bAlex]

I had a situation last night. I am working as a taxi driver.

I got a pick up at 11pm. Waiting 10 min... Too long but anyway I was chill and didn't give a damn. One children (girl of 14yo) comes to the car with her mother (30-40yo).

The lady is drunk as fuck. I decided to get them in, in the end I just take them to the destination and fuck off. 

On the way home they kept whispered on the backseat following some cries form the drunken mother. Fast forward we get to the destination.

The children get the money, from her mother, get the bags and went to the door step. It's pouring down. But the lady sit with the door open and refused to get in. She was pissed off and wanted to go... somewhere-nowhere. At one point she start to tell me that she can't take anymore and want to die ,that she was abused and all that jazz. 

I tried to move on the back seat and have a discussion with her, explain that I have to go and pat her on the back to get out.  But she doesn't budge. Moreover her daughter start to shut at me to take my hands off her. -ok I said,my mistake- any touching can be interpreted different, especially in #metoo era.

And I have patience, checking my emails, don't even pay attention,just waiting for 30 min without a job, thinking that she'll get bored after a while. 

At some point they whispered something again (I guess they want to trick me or something- I don't really know). So here is her daughter shouting at her and tring to call her nun to convince her mother to get out of the car but nothing is working. This lady just want to die- she was in pain. And gosh they have a nice house with two high range price cars on the driveway.

However after 30 minutes I received a job and I said"enough is enough" so I went out of the car and try to lift her up from the back to get her out. At this point her daughter becomes very bitchy and start hitting me with her fists. Sure I don't get hurt but I try to hold the younger's hands. Now her mother get into defence mode and get out of the car shouting at me to take my hands off her child. I was looking at the kid asking her "what's wrong with you?"☺️

So now the title question- how to handle suicidal people? 

Sure this situation involved alcohol and maybe some drugs and even some sneaky tactics from those two. Not really sure about the last statement. 

Thank you!

[Ananta]

@Alex bAlex Seeing that you don't know these ppl and it's related to your job. You could call the police afterwards to go check on them next time, since you have an address she was last at.

Otherwise, emergency rooms handle suicidal ppl quite often and can pink slip them, so they can't leave. Typically they are wanting help though or have already swallowed pills or something.

[Alex bAlex]

@Anna1 Thank you for your reply. 

Sure I was going to call the police a couple of times but if I was going to do it, this lady would go into her house and I had to deal with the police, wasting their time and mine. 

But I should take this in consideration for next time, as in this situation I put myself in a awkward/ dangerous (legally speaking) position. 

[Raptorsin7]

@Alex bAlex I would be concerned with the legality. If you honestly think someone is suicidal or just dangerous call the police right away. If something happens to them while you're driving them or they get violent with you or something you could get fucked. There's no downside besides time if you call the police, and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Also, tell the person you are going to call the police. If they are not serious about being suicidal that will jolt them and they will likely leave you alone because they don't want to deal with the cops

[Ananta]

@Alex bAlex I didn't mean for you to call necessarily while you were still there. You could call as a concerned citizen once you have driven away.

[Epiphany_Inspired]

I've lost a number of friends to suicide so I may take it too seriously at times... or from the PD "everything is eternal" sense, possibly not think of death as an end... which is also not helpful. I've tried talking to suicidal peeps on this forum... its always a risk, if you say the "wrong" thing and they die, the guilt could devour your heart... when I have been at my lowest a few times, I wasn't able to see the things that almost always keep me from depression (like the magic way sunlight reflects off leaves)... I think bringing them into the present helps (not past abuse or future worries), I think gratitude helps, and I think shifting paradigms helps... other than that I dont know... 

[Surfingthewave]

@Alex bAlex

1) Listen 

2) Name it (I think you may need to talk to someone/you may need some support ) 

3) Have some suicide prevention / support numbers in your taxi to give out 

4) If they are actively talking about suicide and methods go to nearest place of safety e. g hospital or police station 

5) Remember the smallest thing can make the biggest difference. Get some training yourself so you feel more equipped to help, particularly around mental health difficulties and support. 

Edited December 30, 2019 by Surfingthewave