[OT] good advice for a possibly suicidal friend?

I had a phone chat with an old friend who lives abroad... He's getting depressed because he doesn't have a social life and he's incapable of approaching women and talking to them. I tried suggesting looking for meetups groups with some interests that appeal largely to women, but he seems to be very pessimistic and disillusioned. He mentioned a few times jumping off a bridge as a solution, which makes me very worried... Unfortunately we live very far away, else I'd be taking him out and trying to cheer him up. How can I help him with this situation???

You can always tell him that there's always someone out there for everybody. Just sometimes you have to lower your expectations a bit. We all want a 10 when it comes to girls. But if beautiful girls make you nervous then maybe try for some not so good looking ones. I find the less attractive a girl is the more easier it is to talk to them. Not really what one wants...but it may be the best decision in the long run.

Maybe suggest hitting the gym one or two times per week. 1. it will make him feel better 2. If he develops a strong physique he will get more women showing interest in him, which will raise his confidence tenfold. 3. He will make friends and meet women.

I had once a friend in a similar situation, only his was even worse, he was unemployed and was threaten to loose his apartment. He even didn't dream to meet a woman, the issue was economical survival.
I 'played' psychologically with him a little bit, I started giving him right 'Yes, the situation is very bad, and you’re right to think about suicide but…what’s the hurry ? You may kill yourself at anytime, this is your hidden card in your sleeve, why waste it so soon ?' So, I persuaded him to postpone ‘the event’ and meanwhile to give his best against all odds. I even lent him my savings, a small amount of money I afforded then, my salary for one or two months (far from being enough to solve his financial problems), and I gave him some practical advices regarding his situation. This way I’ve changed his states of being, from resignation to a combativeness state. Another trick it was I said him I expect to get my money back from him…when he would have so much money, that the amount I lend him would have been a piece of cake for him to pay, but there is no rush, he doesn’t need to pay me back at all, if he can’t. Therefore I put, somewhat joking, a small responsibility on his shoulders, another reason to put his mind at work.
His situation improved soon, he found a job over a few months, and he started to solve his financial problems little by little. Five years after he gave my money back, said he can afford to pay his debt to me, and recently (after 14 years !) he admitted I saved his life then, not necessarily by lending him money but by urging him to fight to ‘impossible’ as David against Goliath  

I hope this example will give you the inspiration to help your friend.