Hello all
Thanks for all your feedback on this. As a few of you have mentioned, we took advice from MIND and the Samaritans on this terribly difficult issue, as we were very aware that we didn't have the necessary expertise. We felt it was too much to ask our mod team to make a call on each individual thread, and we were also concerned to reduce the possible impact on the lovely MNers who try so hard to help folks in real difficulties.
Those organisations recommended that we remove posts which mention a proposed method, because of the possibility that this might tip others who are also feeling suicidal into acting on those feelings. So now, if someone does this, we post a link to our mental health advice and to the Samaritans, and we remove the thread. We also get in touch with them directly with the same links and advice about getting RL help.
If the OP doesn't mention a method, we tend to post the same links on the thread, but leave it up - and of course we keep a very close eye from that point.
It's a very difficult area, obviously, and we're sorry to anyone who's found this particular thread or others distressing. We're meeting with MIND again soon and we will definitely be discussing this then.
edited by MNHQ to correct the use of 'ideation'