Hi everyone,

I am not sure if I am posting this in the right place, as I only usually use the depression forum for myself so please move if i'm wrong

I am growing really concerned about my younger sister who is now 16 (17 in January). She is at a point where none of my family and a lot of her friends will not speak to her (myself included), but I'm starting to think it through and feel as if we should have done more for her in the beginning.

I started having mental health problems at around 14, so to me it shouldn't be quite so unexpected that she could be going through the same thing. From about that age, everyone just said she had gotten in with the wrong crowd when she was caught skipping school and drinking in the street with some friends. Then when she would just leave the house for days on end and tell nobody where she was until the police brought her home they would say the same, or that she is just a bad kid. She left home last year, never having a fixed place to live just going from friends house to friends house, and rumours started coming back to me about my sisters ways - she would sleep with guys for money, or for a place to stay, and I was told that she is hooked on drugs.

I have tried in the past to help her, I picked her up, took her for a nice meal and convinced her to go home and try and sort things out. But it didn't work because within a few days she had left again. She tells people she has been kicked out, and that my parents are strict and terrible - but it's not true, my parents are amazing parents, and haven't kicked her out even when she's been extremely terrible towards them. She is living like a homeless person, she never cleans herself and looks and smells terrible, she often always seems to be on some sort of drug.

A couple of months ago, someone tried to break into my parents house, smashing a window before it woke them up and they ran, it's since come to light that it was my sister that was involved (she knew how to avoid the security cameras and the alarm sensors, and exactly where my mum keeps a bit of money). There was also a massive knife found in the garden. My family felt completely horrified about this and of course want nothing to do with her - how could you try to break into the house where your parents and 8 year old sister are sleeping, and what on earth were they planning on doing with the knife!?

She has now been given a house on some sort of benefits, as she is technically homeless because nobody will now take her in. She is addicted to drugs and prostituting herself for money. When I say to anyone what if she's struggling with problems like I was, they say that's just making excuses for her. I understand that people often turn out that way and they don't have mental health problems, but this is completely out of character for her. She is extremely self destructive, and often posts syndical things on Facebook such as "what's the point" etc etc.

I don't want to just make an excuse up to justify her behaviour as others have said, I genuinely think that she is severely depressed just like I was at that age, and maybe even has other problems. It's getting worse and worse and I am genuinely concerned for her safety, and maybe even the safety of others. I know it might sound a bit extreme, but I think that she needs to be sectioned - she wouldn't willingly agree to seek help as I don't think she thinks there's anything wrong with the way she is, she just thinks everyone is against her. Is it possible for me to go and see my doctor to express my concerns? What will he do, is it even possible for them to section her when she hasn't even been to see them? Do you think i'm just trying to make excuses for her, or am I right in thinking she needs serious mental help?

Jess