worried about a friend...

[Thiamine]

This doesn't have much to do with an intimate relationship, but one of my really good friends(Katie) has been acting weird lately. I know she was depressed about 2 years ago, but got over it..it looks like she's dropping to a pretty low point again. She's normally a happy, laughing, make-a-joke-about-everything, kind of person. Now she's really defensive and gets mad easily. I asked her if everything is ok, and if she wanted to talk about what's going on, and she said since I've never been depressed, I wouldn't understand and she feels dumb for being depressed about her problems. I told her that even though I haven't been depressed, I would listen to her and hear what's on her mind. The best way to get over your problems is to talk about them with someone. She just won't open up..and she's getting farther and farther away from the Katie I once knew, and it's really scaring me. She wrote a suicide note 2 years ago(she got over it with her music), and I don't want her to have to write another one. What can I do? I'm really, really scared.

[Chris]

Thiamine,

 

Does your friend Katie have any relatives that you could confide in about this? I've had depression and it took my best friend to convince me to go to counseling. You may want to bring that up, the depression will not go away on its own. She will have good and bad days. I can understand her point, I always felt dumb and that I was a weak person for having depression. I always told myself if I'm strong enough that it will go away.

 

One thing is definite, stay by her side. Don't let her push you away to far. She may seem unbearable at times but don't let that make you give up. Just telling you this means she wants/needs help. Again try to get her to therapy, she needs to talk to someone about this.

 

I hope this helps you. Write back, I'd like to know how things are going.

 

Chris

This doesn't have much to do with an intimate relationship, but one of my really good friends(Katie) has been acting weird lately. I know she was depressed about 2 years ago, but got over it..it looks like she's dropping to a pretty low point again. She's normally a happy, laughing, make-a-joke-about-everything, kind of person. Now she's really defensive and gets mad easily. I asked her if everything is ok, and if she wanted to talk about what's going on, and she said since I've never been depressed, I wouldn't understand and she feels dumb for being depressed about her problems. I told her that even though I haven't been depressed, I would listen to her and hear what's on her mind. The best way to get over your problems is to talk about them with someone. She just won't open up..and she's getting farther and farther away from the Katie I once knew, and it's really scaring me. She wrote a suicide note 2 years ago(she got over it with her music), and I don't want her to have to write another one. What can I do? I'm really, really scared.