[howohsocliche]

My friend got in a terrible car accident a couple weeks ago. She's going through a hell of a time. I gave her what advice I saw fit, but I was wondering what you guys had to say about it. Just wanna make sure I gave her decent advice....

Here is what she's been saying:

<font color="blue">"what do you do when:

- you were in a car accident 2 weeks ago and every day since that night is worse than the one before

- your best friend who was in the car with you isn't speaking to you anymore

- the guy you were seeing who you really cared about isn't speaking to you anymore

- you feel extremely guilty and responsible for both of their behaviors

- your mother constantly gives you %#@&#! and reminds you that everything associated with the accident "won't go away for a long time"

- your father makes a joke of it and hopes you "learned a lesson"

- you have cried more in 7 consecutive days than you have cried in your entire life

- due to intense amounts of stress and anxiety, your body becomes prone to sickness

- due to sickness, you wake up in the middle of the night with chest pains and cannot breathe properly

- you come home for spring break hoping to relax but end up wanting to leave

- you can't leave because you don't have a car yet

- you want to go out and have fun with friends but don't have the energy to even smile

- you take nyquil at 7:30pm and hope you don't wake up until morning

- you wake up several times before morning

- thoughts that should not be in your head are in your head

- you hate the fact that you are not strong enough to just deal

?

i seriously need help.

real help.

not "aww feel better hun" or some crap like that.

because i won't feel better until my life isn't a living hell anymore.

if you know how to get it there, please share your knowledge with me.

i don't know how much more of this i can bear. "</font>

[Direction]

Sounds like she has had a lot happen recently...

Have you seen signs off similar thinking prior to the accident? If so, was she seeing a T or p-doc? If not, do you think she would be willing to?

Have you already talked to her about going into therapy?

[howohsocliche]

I've known her for many years, but for the past 3 years I've been going to college a couple states away, so we havn't kept in touch too well. She's a very active girl with many friends. She involved in her campus, holds a job, and maintains a high GPA. She's generally independent and confident...She makes many friends. But, sometimes she gets down. I think she has a hard time communicating her feelings, especially if she is emotional. She used to really depend on boys to make her feel desired or cared for. That resulted in her finding a lot of crappy boyfriends...And she'd get hurt a lot. For the past year she's been out of that faze and even more independent, although she recently picked up a boyfriend.
She used to be depressed, but I think she pulled herself out of it. I could have sworn she was in therapy for a small period of time, but I really don't remember. I think b/c she pulled herself out of a depression, that she never really learned how to prevent it in the first place...Or that certain things were never resolved. It used to seem like her emotions were up and down a lot.

[Direction]

Do you think she would be open to talking to a professional?'

I think it is really difficult for one to pull themselves out of depression - I'm on medication and therapy and I'm still trying to pull out of it.

My humble opinion - help her get some help...