How do I help someone who might hurt themselves?

You have learned to handle most crises, but the ones where a person may harm themselves reach a different depth, and they overwhelm you because the cost of getting it wrong feels absolute. That fear is not a flaw. It is the weight of caring about a life. You cannot control whether someone chooses to stay. You can only offer presence, calm, and a path to help. Holding that truth loosens the grip of panic, because it puts down a weight that was never yours to carry alone. You are one steady voice, not the whole answer. When you are with someone at the edge, slow down and stay. Ask directly and gently whether they are thinking of hurting themselves, and listen without rushing to fix. Then connect them to trained help and do not leave them alone in the gap. Your steadiness buys time, and time is often what saves a life.