How can I find out if my friend is dead or just doesn't want to talk to me anymore, or both?

The third option, “both,” is a no-starter. And are you serious?

I take it you can’t just go round
Can we have more details?

Do you know other friends of this person? Do you know where their parents live? You could contact these people to try to find out. Also if you really care, you can do a peoplesearch online (it costs money).

Is it one friend, or more? “I haven’t heard from my friend in awhile, wondering if they did themself in.”
Telephone/texting/Facebook/visit/family/police.

@rebbel Just curious, what is the non-gender-specific pronoun in English? Huh? As far as I know, the closest thing to a non-gender-specific pronoun in English is “them.” Stop busting their balls. ;-)

If you honestly think your friend might be dead, find a way to contact them! Contact anyone else who knows them, even barge into their house, but definitely check on them.

If your interest is distant and academic, google their name along with the word “obituary”

@daloon Geez, what a difficult question.
I’m a non-English speaker, and although i know my way a bit, i am useless when it comes too grammar (if that is the right word?).
I thought that in @bumwithablackberry‘s sentence it would’ve been more logic to put “wondering if he did themself in.”.

Right now i will visit some sites that’ll teach me about the matter.

Edit: What i meant was “wondering if he did himself in.”

@rebbel I just asked it as a fluther question, so you may want to put the results of your research there.

Oops. You already found it. Well, in case anyone else is curious.

We really need more info. What kind of friend is it? Is it someone you only know online? Is it someone you go to school with? do you know where they live? Do you know who their family is? Do you have reason to believe he/she might be suicidal?
If you really want an answer then you need to give more info

Everyone answering this question is coming up with clever ways to find your friend, but you did not say anything about cut-of communications. I suggest that if you still have a way to communicate you simply ask. You don’t have to make the person feel guilty, but there must be a reasonable explanation to all of this.

You could of course always make it more interesting and contact a psychic or organize a seance (I don’t know about this stuff.. someone who talks to the dead.. People like Char and Derrick Brown).~

@gailcalled – Not if they believe in life beyond the grave and folks who talk to spirits.

Well, if t/he/y are/is dead, the first clue would be the smell. It is a “dead” giveaway. Next, find a psychic. One of those fruitcakes er, amazing people who can speak to the dead. If your friend doesn’t want to chat, then t/he/y are/is probably alive and simply ignoring you.

I’m currently in the exact situation. My best friend up and left the state about two months ago and I haven’t heard from her since. The last time we talked, she told me her boyfriend proposed to her and that she wanted me to be in the wedding party. I assumed that later we would go further into the details, but then she kind of vanished.

I’ve called her at least twice a week since then, left both texts and voice mails – and nothing!

I’ve been thinking maybe she just decided one day she was going to cut off all her old friends and start a new life or something, but that would be so unlike her.

After consulting with my mom, if I don’t hear from her by the end of the month, I will be getting in contact with her mother. I would suggest getting in contact with some type of family if you can to find out what’s going on.

Good luck!

@rebbel is right, daloon. It is definitely a he or a she, no need for non-gender specific pronoun in this case.

@bum As others have said, find someone to call who knows your friend and ask him or her.

Yes my friend was suicidal, or has been for some time. He also is a doctor, with a family. He is very intelligent, and it would be a shame for him to be deceased. Yeah, I used non gender specific wording on purpose. Didn’t want to reveal anything about him, I’m going to keep trying to find out, and I’ll get back to ya’ll

Since your friend is a doctor, can you track him through his local medical society?

The amazing Ouija Board!

I was joking about saying “both” He was suicidal, and he was a good friend. He was a very well educated, beautiful person, and I would like to know that he was alive, wheather he wants to speak to me or not. I love and miss him regardless. You have to pay to check the obit records WTF?!