How can I help my friend who is heartbroken and refuses to seek help?

He’s really in bad shape. Very despondent. He is a little off the wall where love is concerned and I’ve seen him go through this before, but never this bad. He is, I think, thinking about harming himself, although not because he wants to. He wants attention—attention I can’t give him.

I’ve urged him to see a therapist, but he refuses. He doesn’t believe that psychology really works, and he thinks he can handle his problems on his own, anyway. He has cut off contact from all his friends except me, and I think he may soon refuse to take my calls.

I don’t think he’ll do anything really drastic (or permanent) although he has mentioned it. I think he is just expressing his pain, not a desire to do it for real. But I’m really worried. I will try to be there for him, if he lets me. I know he has disappeared before. He was gone for several years before he showed up again. He looked really thin and he refused to say what had happened.

Before he disappeared, he had a great life, it seemed. He lost it all. When he came back, he refused to make contact with anyone but me. I have urged him to get psychological help but he always refuses.

Is there anything else I can do? I feel like I have failed him. But I don’t know what else I could have done or could do now. He seems like he wants to destroy himself.