This is supposed to be humorous, but if it works to keep him alive, then it works. 

Sometimes preventing suicide simply means reminding people that there are things worth living for and that is anything that makes you happy. 

Halo 3 was really important for me in this way. I had to finish the fight.

Half-Life 3?

grants you immortality

Having shit to look forward to is absolutely the way people stay alive.

All people.

Like, it’s scientifically proven.

Having concrete anticipations also gives you a solid reference point against which you can check your mental health status.

The way I knew I had slipped from morbid ideation to suicide risk was when I realized that the release date of kingdom hearts 3 wasn’t enough to make me leave a bottle of hydrocodone alone. The moment of recognition that something I had been dreaming of for 14 years wasn’t enough motivation to make it through the night was how I knew I needed an intervention.

Video games just happen to have concerts dates and strong reactions from people. They’re an excellent and accessible tool.