My friend has become suicidal, what can I do?
Asked by
Kokoro (
1424
)
July 11th, 2011
I knew she had been sad and on medications because her husband wants a divorce, however I did not realize that her depression had pushed her to the bottom. She has been admitted to the hospital now, and I want to help her. I’m not best-friend-close with her, but I am her only friend left here. The other week I asked her to see a movie/hang out but she wanted to be alone. I feel so awful that I can’t do anything.
Any suggestions?
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8 Answers
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do, except to continue to let her know you’re there. I’m glad that she’s getting the care she needs in the hospital.
Contact her relatives if they don’t know her condition.
Keep in touch with her. Keep letting her know that you care.
Go visit her at the hospital. She needs someone familiar to talk to before the demons in her head get the best of her. Just sit and listen to what she has to say.
If you know some of her other friends that she is/was close with you may want to find out if she’d like you to contact them.
If she’s allowed visitors, visit. If not, keep sending cards, letting her know you care.
Talk to him always and help him.
I second @Cruiser‘s recommendation to visit her at the hospital. I’ve been on both ends of that kind of situation and visits from friends helped me tremendously when I was a patient and helped me feel like I was helping when I was the visitor.
My best friend tried to kill himself three times, last year.
I remeber feeling so helpless, because he was 5000 miles away, and there was nothing I could do. I tried to help, but it never felt like enough to call him, to IM him, and to send letters.
I remember the turning point. “I love you so much AshLeigh. I think I can sleep now… Thank you. I can go to sleep happy tonight because of you.”
He never tried again after that. All I did was call him… Treat him like everything was fine, and talk to him like I used to. I let him know he was still my hole world. That I didn’t want to live in a world, without him in it. And even though five thousand miles was a hell of a long way to walk, I woulf if he asked me…
I would tell your friend that you’re very worried about her and that you think she should get counseling and/or therapy. Prepare yourself for the possibility of calling some help in if she refuses help. (Doctors, parents, siblings, police, hotline) Tell her you love her and want to help, but your not sure yet how to help. I think your over your head with this one. You also need to be careful for your own peace of mind. You may not be able to drag her out of the pit, but you also can’t let her drag you into hell.
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