She finally managed to "come out" about being depressed. She's pretty beaten up. I remember being depressed too and she knows that I was clinically depressed - my whole family had a huge "intervention" type discussion one day. My parents can't seem to understand. They have a scarily pathetic ability to empathise. She says she doesn't want to be depressed - she wants to be happy (but she obviously can't control it). I had to sort myself out, because my parents never knew it was going on until after I had already gotten help from my school counsellor. I feel afraid that they don't know how to and won't be able to help her! I'm stressing big time. She confessed she's been suicidal (as I was, too). What can I do? Talking to a counsellor helped me, but she seems very unwilling to talk to anyone. She said despite knowing she can talk to me about anything (very strong bro-sis relationship) AND knowing I was depressed too, and having an amazing best friend she can talk to about anything, she said she just can't talk about it. It reminds me exactly of how I felt. I feel I can't help her, because I feel like I did everything for myself. I have made sure she won't do anything stupid and let her know I'm there for her no matter what the clock says, no matter where I am. I said I'd even move my bed to her room if she wants me to "sleepover". I am just being as supportive as possible. She is 15; I am 17. My parents are still married and we have an older brother who is nearly 20. Does anyone have any tips? Any ideas? What more can I do?:help:
Typically a mixture of therapy and psychiatry helps people deal with depression. They usually start people on SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) like Prozac, Celexa, or Zoloft. If those don't work, the doctor will cycle through the other types of antidepressants (like an SNRI; a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), and as a last resort, use an MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor). The SSRI's work by blocking the reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the presynaptic axon terminals. An SNRI blocks serotonin and also the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. An MAIO works by lowering the levels of the enzyme, monoamine oxidase.
What more can you do? Nothing, really. You've done the important thing - you've said you'll be there for her if she feels she can't make it. Tell her you'll ask her once or twice a day "How's it going?" And if she thinks she can still make it, she can just say "OK" or "fine". But if she really feels like she's losing control, that's her cue to let you know. Lex
Many depressed people feel like they can't talk to anyone, and particularly if their concerns have not been well received, they are even less inclined to be willing to open up to others, so I feel for your sister. Additionally, when one is depressed, even the simplest tasks, such as picking up the phone to call a counselor, can seem overwhelming and impossible. However, she has expressed the desire to improve her condition, and my guess is that if you take some steps that make it easy for her to get help, she will probably go along with it, even if she seems somewhat unwilling. Since it sounds like you have access at least to a school counselor, why don't you do something like make an appointment, and tell your sister that you'd like for both of you to go. A school counselor will not be equipped to work with someone who is severely depressed, but the idea is to get your sister at least open to the idea of seeking professional help. I would highly recommend talking to your parents about getting a therapist for your sister. Perhaps the best approach will be, again, for both you and your sister to go together to the first session. You can stay for the first few minutes and then if things are going well, you can excuse yourself and allow the therapist to see your sister alone for the rest of the session. A competent therapist will have an approach for helping your sister feel at ease, and then perhaps for the first couple of sessions, you can give her a ride and stay in the waiting room just to give her support (and make sure she goes.) I would start first with a therapist, as they tend to be more open and warm than a psychiatrist is. If the therapist decides that meds are necessary (in many cases they are not), then the therapist can make a referral to a psychiatrist and perhaps make advance contact if your sister is still uncomfortable seeing new people. If you still aren't having success with these suggestions, or run into new issues, please post again.
I spoke to my school counsellor about a few things. I have reassured her and I check on her, but not too annoyingly. I'm sure she'll be fine. Thanks guys(*hug*)
try telling her this: "you said you can talk about anything and feel more free when u talk to me, why don;t i gain the trust from you about your depression.. what type of depression do you have, is it something that made u depressed or you just feel depressed for no reason?" try to find this out if there is a "Thing" that makes her depressed or is it the life style that she hates or so.. tell her , even if its sooo stupid or gay issues or u had a fight with a friend, or anything what's done is done and you can't change it so speak up and tell me what your thinking.. i guess this is the best way to make her speak.. hope this helps !
It's great that your helping her out as much as you can,but just make sure she is never in the condition to pass up your help where she is nowhere near you and do something bad. I've gone to counselors,and tried to talk to them,but I could never get over a lot of things.I found out later that alot of counselors aren't trained in enough areas to know what the real underlying problems actually were. Later on I've gone to hospitals for attempted suicide,and you have people asking you questions on all the things that have bothered me,they relay it to the doctor and the doctoer tests certain medications on you and check on you a day later to see if that med is actually helping.,and they helped me out more than a counselor cause they have been trained in the areas that will help you the most,.,like finding out that you actually have an OCD,where you just can never forget anything bad that has happened to you for yrs,or major depression,where you can never get out of that depressed mood. They find things a counselor would never think of! Try to talk her into counseling,which sounds like she really needs right now,and if that doesn't work,then see a doctor.
