P
Phoenix
New member
Hi everyone,
I'm new to this, so please be gentle with me!
My best friend of over 20 years has been clinically depressed for most of her life. She has been hospitalised and has tried pretty much every type of anti-depressant known to medical science.
Since the last time she was sectioned, she has been on a kind of level which she has been able to cope with, but she has suffered 2 recent bereavements and has gone downhill very rapidly in the last couple of months.
I'm at the end of my tether with constant worry. Her GP and Psychiatrist have both run out of ideas and although she is receiving counselling, it doesn't appear to be helping much. She's been talking about giving it up, which will leave her without any support except for me.
She has a large family, who have never actively supported her and although we have other friends, they seem to leave any practical support to me.
I have suffered from mild depression myself in the past, which was treated successfully but I'm frightened that if I allow myself to get down again, I'll be absolutely no help to my friend.
I feel constantly under pressure and bearing the weight of all her problems on top of my own is beginning to make me feel like I can't cope.
I've spent our whole friendship being the strong one and the emotional prop but I am only one person and I feel so guilty that I should be doing more but I don't know what else to do. Nothing I say makes her feel any better and I'm terrified that she'll do something stupid and I won't be able to prevent it.
Can anyone offer any advice? Thanks for listening and sorry for venting.
Phoenix.
I'm new to this, so please be gentle with me!
My best friend of over 20 years has been clinically depressed for most of her life. She has been hospitalised and has tried pretty much every type of anti-depressant known to medical science.
Since the last time she was sectioned, she has been on a kind of level which she has been able to cope with, but she has suffered 2 recent bereavements and has gone downhill very rapidly in the last couple of months.
I'm at the end of my tether with constant worry. Her GP and Psychiatrist have both run out of ideas and although she is receiving counselling, it doesn't appear to be helping much. She's been talking about giving it up, which will leave her without any support except for me.
She has a large family, who have never actively supported her and although we have other friends, they seem to leave any practical support to me.
I have suffered from mild depression myself in the past, which was treated successfully but I'm frightened that if I allow myself to get down again, I'll be absolutely no help to my friend.
I feel constantly under pressure and bearing the weight of all her problems on top of my own is beginning to make me feel like I can't cope.
I've spent our whole friendship being the strong one and the emotional prop but I am only one person and I feel so guilty that I should be doing more but I don't know what else to do. Nothing I say makes her feel any better and I'm terrified that she'll do something stupid and I won't be able to prevent it.
Can anyone offer any advice? Thanks for listening and sorry for venting.
Phoenix.