Ask Dr.E  Dear Dr. E.,  My friend Ken is in a bad marriage,
which seems to be making him suicidal. He keeps saying he's
having his "psychological thingy"--a vision of shooting himself
in the head. What can I do to help?  Scott D.  Madison,
Wisconsin  Dear Scott,  Listen to Ken, hang out with him and
support him--people don't kill themselves when they're with
friends. And try, try, try to get him professional help. Nearly
threequarters of a million Americans attempt suicide each year,
and more than 30,000 of them are "successful." Many of these
individuals visited a therapist or physician not long before
killing themselves, or told others about their intentions well
before the act. People who talk about suicide or who envision
committing suicide are indeed at risk, and their statements
should be taken seriously. For advice and information, call the
American Suicide Survival Line at 1.888-SUICIDE, or the 9-Line
crisis hotline at 1-800-999-9999, or the American Psychological
Association at 1-800-374-2721.  Dear