How to help a person suffering from:

• Abuse/rape:NEVER EVER blame the person for what happened. It is never the victims fault, no matter the situation. Let the person know that you are there for him/her. Let them tell you what happened, if and only if, they feel comfortable talking about it. Just keep letting the person know that they deserve the best and what happened wasn't their fault. Stick by them. Don't force a person to report their abuser/rapist. It is the person's choice whether to report or not. Respect their choice.
• Mental health:Realize that mental health is not a choice. It is as real as having cancer or any other physical illness. You would never blame a person with cancer for having it so dont blame someone for having a mental illness. Let them know that you are there for them, on the good days and the bad days. Research what the mental illness is about so that you can further help the person. Don't stigmatize what they are going through. Even if you dont understand it, mental illnesses are real. The person is not seeking attention or faking it.
• Self harmful behavior:Try and let the person know that you are there for them. Try and see if they will talk to you about what is bothering them so much that they feel the need to hurt themselves. Self harm is not attention seeking. It is usually connected to mental health issues or a upsetting event in the past. If you get the person to talk about what is on their mind, it will help. Another way to help is to help the person set aside a self care box, where he/she puts things that they can do/look at while an urge comes in order to distract from the urge. Also let them know that you will always be there for them and that you will never judge them.
• Suicidal:Never tell the person that they are attention seeking or that what they are feeling isnt legit. Do not judge the person. Let the person know that you will always be there for him/her no matter what. If they are considering suicide they are as deserving help as someone who is physically ill. It is not something to joke about or stigmatize. There are numerous online and phone hotlines you can use, and online chat rooms dedicated to helping people. Please if you or someone you know is suicidal immediately get help before its too late. No one deserves to feel like death is the only option.