My online friend wants to commit suicide, what do I do?

[Sara]

I know this sounds dumb. I met one of my closest friends on the Internet, through twitter. I'm the only person she truly trusts with this. She wants to for many reasons, and won't listen when I tell her I care! I can't call her mom, I can't tell anyone she knows offline, I can't do any of those things! She won't go to a school counselor, she won't tell her mother, she won't do anything to get help because she doesnt want it!
I know my ways of helping are limited, and I think I've tried all ways, which is why my question is split into two halves.
One being, how do I help? Shes talking about it again.
The other half being, if she does, what do I do to get better?

[Hayden]

Don't worry about the second half of the question yet. While it is a good idea to always prepare for the worst, you can't concern yourself with the results of the possibilities yet. If you want to truly help your friend, you are going to need to be present in each and every moment that you spend talking to her, not worrying about how things are going to play out if she actually does it. Also, if you think that she is going to do it, that hopelessness may come across in your conversation, even if you don't intend it. For now, just focus on helping her the best you can.

That being said, it sounds like you've exhausted most of your resources. If there is anybody who sees her regularly that you can call to inform of her situation, then do so. If you really think that her life is at risk, you have an uncomfortable responsibility as her friend to tell someone. If you are unable to contact any of her friends or relatives, see if you can find out what school she attends and try calling her school directly. Ask to speak to the school counselor about a potentially at-risk student, and inform them of the situation. Avoid speaking directly to the administration if you can help it; the counselor will be the most qualified to handle the situation properly - likely by contacting her parents/guardians and deciding what to do from there. There is only so much that you can do given your distance from each other, but notifying someone who sees her on a regular basis is the first step. The next step is just being there for her whenever she needs you. Don't fool yourself into thinking that your relationship to this person is any less meaningful just because you met online.

Anyway, I hope that things work out for both you and her. I have dealt with suicide threats from long-distance friends before and it is never a comfortable situation. Just stay proactive about it and do what you feel that you can.