I think my friend is losing the battle against depression. Her psych team has come to the conclusion that she can not be helped by therapy, but she felt that she was in fact helped by CBT.
She called a personal representative to help her at her last pdoc appointment, but I am afraid it is not going to make a diferrence.
I think this might be the last thing she will do.
I don’t want to lose my closest friend, a friend that I have known for almost 15 years, a friend that I love.
I have been there myself and have said that never again. How can I expect her to do what I am not willing to? I can see that her spark is gone, and I feel helpless.
What do I do?
I know this doesn’t belong in this forum, but I need advice.
All you can do is be there for her. Remind her that these intense periods of hopelessness are temporary and that if she hangs in there she’ll come to a better place.
Remind her of things she loves and will be leaving, people who love her (whether she believes it or not) and will miss her and be miserable themselves if they lose her, and also that she can’t come back if she decides to go.
I’m almost 50 and have literally been suicidal since my mid-teens. But it comes in cycles and it goes just long enough to get more out of life. Remind her that she’s not finished yet. And if she believes in Heaven, tell her that’s a party she hasn’t received an invitation to yet.
She’s lucky to have a friend like you, @Evillynn. God bless. ️
Been like that most of my life, comes and goes. I know how she feels, probably all you can do is be there when they want to talk or want company.
I know for myself, I just isolate and ly around all day, sleep will turn it off for a bit, but it always comes back.
If therapy isn’t helping her she should certainly try medication. CBT helped me a lot, but there was only so much therapy could do. My depression is too strong and the bad thoughts too frequent and aggressive to constantly combat. Antidepressants were the only thing that reduced those thoughts. She may be the same. Don’t give up hope yet!!
Three major questions to ask is how will they do it, do they have necessary tools to do it, when will they do it.
You can judge from the answers if they are serious if it’s safe to leave them alone. The phone counseling lines offer help and support with supporting a friend through this utilize them. They will have the resources and contacts to help more.
Anther warning sign is after depression they are unbelievably happy giving away personal item of some value. Something like there car. This can mean they have committed. Again The phone counseling lines offer help and support with supporting a friend through this utilize them. They will have the resources and contacts to help more.
It’s like a consumer nightmare what help and what hope there is for people out there. Some of the stuff I’ve picked up over the years.
My lord the most terrifying idea to me is that the afterlife is equally or even more miserable than this place. I can’t even bear thinking about that. I’ll continue to maintain my optimism that things get better than this in order to preserve what sanity I have left.
I also know what she is going through. I made several attempts before, actually. I still don’t know what I can do for her, because I don’t think much could have helped me. My bf and I are going to have a talk with her in the hope of her hospitalizing herself. She is not the kind of person who will cry for help and she never said she was going to do it, but after knowing a person for that long you just know. And she is already on meds.
Hello! I’m sorry to hear about what you and your friend are going through, it really does get better. Not perfect but better. Is your friend on any anti depressants? Which type? If yes, it dies take some time for the drugs to kick in. Or consult a doctor to change the drug. Is you friend religious? I know how tempting suicide is especially when you are in a dark and hopeless place. Encourage your friend to read religious books and pray. I wish you guys the best
It has gotten way better for me. One pdoc told me that my suicidal thoughts are chronic, which I also believe. I’m not going to act on it though.
She has been on meds for a couple of years, but I’m not sure which. Fluoxetine, or something similar I think.
Neither of us believes in god.
️