"i'll commit suicide if you leave!"

I have heard of this kind of behaviour yes. It happened to one of my cousins. She wanted to break up with him and he said he would kill himself. They eventually did break up but he never did it. I think it was just all talk, but sometines you never know and can't be too careful either. They have a hard time at moving on with their lives I suppose.

this is a form of blackmail, i never listen to this crap because most of the time they only say it to make you feel bad, if someone said that to me, i would ignore it, i would not allow anyone to put my in a situation like that just because they cannot get their own way, in fact i would leave and i wouldn't go back

I think people who would do this are suffering from some mental disorder causing this kind of compulsive behavior, one who is really quite obsessed. Crazy thoughts of self-inflicting harm is a means of getting one's attention, creating a sense of guilt and thereby creating a bargaining in such situation.

yes, this is true and i encountered this one! My ex boyfriend for 4 months was really a psycho. I want to broke up with him for I'm falling out of love and some personal reasons. He was crying to my place, begging me not to leave him, i didn't feel anything for him. I want him out of my life but he threatened me that he'll kill himself and i was worried but my friend told me to ignore him. So i told him i don't want him anymore, more days of following me at school and at my place. Thank God oney day he was tired and it all stopped there, we broke up. Hes a playboy, he can't sleep without a liquor and really has bad attitude ..

I had a mother like that, shouting, blackmailing us kids in all kind of ways. In the end my older sister went away, got her coat and the keys of her car and said: get in your car and go. My mother did not do so, just stared at her. Never blackmailed us with that again (we were 12, 11, 9 and 4 years old). I met many people who said the same in their relationship. It's mostly a result of panic (to be left alone) but seldom will they do it too. But if I would personally not care and stay. To my opinion each person is responsible for his/her own life. If they prefer to die instead of making the best out of it, to decide to make themselves happy so be it. living a life with someone who tries to manipulate, blackmail and is doing everything to break you down is no life. Also it's selfish and easy to stay, a stay out of guilt. This way you will never help yourself or that other person to start being responsible, to work and fight for their happiness. The only thing you do is make them feel more miserable since the wanted love is not there anyway.

they are trying to appeal to the emotions of the person. they are trying to make the other person guilty for leaving him/her. most people use that as a threat but what if they will really do it? i think you should try to talk nicely to the person...like try to calm him/her down before leaving. or you can ask help from his/her friends...

Yes, I offered them a knife (I knew they wouldn't do anything)

These people are just emotionally stressed people.