[torodaciero]

Hello,

A friend of mine is very closed up since her mother died (8 years ago). She used to be very cheerful and talktive but now she is very silent. It is very hard to actually have a conversation with her. There are some rare times when she still seems to enjoy herself and is a bit closer to how she used to be, but most of the time it is like her head is somewhere in the clouds or she has no emotions at all.

We (some friends of her) miss the old her. She is too stubborn to actually see a Psychiatrist about it. Any idea how we get her to open up at least a little?

[Skeezyks]

Hello torodaciero: I don't know as I have any particular suggestions I can offer here. Personally I think all you can do is to continue to be this person's friend & engage her in social activities as much as possible. If this has been going on for 8 years, it has long since gone beyond the point where you can likely have any significant impact, in my opinion.

I don't know where you & your friend live or how mental health services are provided there. But, at least where I live, seeing a psychiatrist might not be the appropriate first step for a person in your friend's situation. Where she might better begin would be with a mental health therapist or psychologist... a mental health professional with whom she can explore in depth what the loss of her mother did to her & how she can resolve her feelings regarding that loss. However, as you realize, your friend has to see that she is struggling, & want to heal, before anything of this sort can occur.

I see this is your first post here on PC. So... welcome to PsychCentral… from the Skeezyks! I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit.

PsychCentral is a great place to get information as well as support for mental health issues. There are many knowledgeable & caring members here. The more you post, & reply to other members’ posts, the more a part of the community you will become. Plus there are social groups you can join & chat rooms where you’ll be able to connect with other PC members in real time (once your first 5 posts have been reviewed & approved.) Lots of great stuff! So please keep posting!

[avlady]

She is in pain from greiving still, i know people who i miss from death still stick in my mind and bother me all day. hopefully she will get the help she needs from a doc or t if available she can get better. good luck