i need help, please he is suffering?

Question

i have a freind, he's 25 years old, who is very intellegent, he just finished a phase of his life where he accoplished what everyone called imposssible in that area,he stareted a new great job, then he started to have what looked like depression, he seemed to be sad all the time wt low energy and low motivation, now he feels that he is losing his cognitive functions, memory, communication skills, he finds difficulty in finding words and sometimes in reading them, it takes him long time to do things he used to do rapidly, the other day he couldn't remember his best freind name and his house phone number? is it a neurological disease? or it is a sever depression affercting his cognitive function? how can i support him as his freind? plz help me.. im feeling that im losing him

Answer 1

Your friend needs to see a doctor.

Answer 2

If he knows he isn't the same, his awareness at least signifies that the problem isn't destroying his awareness. Depression causes brain damage. Any mental disease fills the brain with all kinds of awful chemicals -- even if it's just because of the endorphins, which feel great, but aren't very good for live tissue. The good news, if you can call it that, is that it's very possible your friend's depression is just making it difficult for him to think clearly, but it not actually diminishing his abilities.

The quality of brain tissue declines if it's no longer being used in the ways it was. When I was depressed over several years, I wasn't able to focus well enough to read the books I loved. After treatment I could read, but I discovered that I had an awful time visualizing the books. Vocabulary was one of the talents lost, too. You usually pick it right up again.

Tell him you notice, give him the old no-joke pep talk, and take him places where people are doing legitimately exciting things: great seminars, or cast parties, or places where people who do other things that your friend may love, so he's right in the middle of what excites him. Make sure he knows that he needs to see a doctor. Any neurological change ought to be checked out, even if it's just to get anti depressants, which will reverse much of the damage done.

Answer 3

If this is your friend and you know him well, find out if there was a traumatic event in his life. A loss of a family member, a breakup in a relationship, pressure and stress at the new job, does he use recreational drugs? I hate to sound ignorant and say, well go see a doctor. Personally I don't believe in shrinks. They can really screw with your mind, but a good mental evaluation by a mental health care professional would determine if your friend has imbalance in the biochemistry. There are many (too many) antidepressants out there and just like with birth control finding the right one is half the cure! good luck and try to be a good friend that listens and supports to your buddy, maybe he needs just that!

Answer 4

I have no idea what you should do.. but for either of those conditions he should probably see a doctor.. if not.. then just try and make him smile or be happy.. sometimes that can help with depression.. if he sees that someone really cares about him and loves him (as a friend) then it might help him fight the depression, try helping him with his problems.. I can't say that this will work.. but you should just do what you think is best.. and if it seems to be getting worse you should probably get him to see a doctor

Answer 5

It's great that he has a friend that's so concerned for him. But please don't just take the advice you've gotten here- get him to the doctor ASAP. If it's a mental illness, he needs to be treated quickly. I have a grandmother that has Alzheimers (I'm not suggesting he has Alzheimers, just making a statement). Our family didn't realize how bad her mind was getting because she lives alone and well, we just thought it was a sign of aging. Now, she can't drive, can't cook for herself, can't even remember simple things that she used to remember easily. For example, if we take her out to the store or doctor, etc. the whole time we're driving, she'll be asking "Do you know where we're at???? I don't know where we're at. I hope we're not lost." I think early detection is so important. Please get him to a doctor. There's a problem somewhere with him- and he's too young to succumb to a mean disease.

Answer 6

Severe depression can cause all the symptoms you're describing. But he absolutely needs to see a doctor to rule out physical causes, such as neurological disorders. Drug dependency also could be an issue. It could also be prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia. There are alot of possibilities so he should be evaluated by a professional.

Answer 7

While it is possible your friend is suffering from depression there are some signs that are not the standard for depression. The first step is to take your friend in for a thorough physical. A physician can then determine if the symptoms are medical or some type of psychiatric illness. Either way, it is very important you take your friend in as soon as possible.

Answer 8

Your friend needs to see a doctor. There are a number of causes for this and the right one needs to be found.
Toxicity or poisoning is one that can cause this and so too can a variety of neurological disorders.
Depression is not normally the cause of this set of symptoms.

Answer 9

Very serious symptoms. Get him quick to his primary physician to rule out any medical/neurological disorders. Be sure to help him tell everything about where he's been (such as on trips, in the woods...exposure to ticks, etc., environmental changes...new house with mold, carbon monoxide exposure), what he's done in terms of major life changes, any prescribed and illegal drug use, family history of things like Huntington's. If all ruled out, then treat for mental health issues. And very important to help him through it all.

Answer 10

The best thing, the most effective thing, possibly the life saving thing, you can do for your friend is get him to a doctor. It may be a medical/physical of mental condition. It may be an easily treated disease. But we can't decide that here.

Answer 11

like everyone else i would recommend that he goes to see a doctor. however, he might not be having a physical problem.
i went through a rough stage of my life, where i was getting burned out by work, and i began showing alot of the same symptoms. all it took for me to return to my normal self, was to lower, and manage the stress in my life.
as a friend the best the you can do is help him relax, and let go of some of his stress. i think he may just be burned out.