Depression, or something more?

Question

I have a friend who's 16, lives on her own becase he dad was violent and so on, was like a straight a student. She was depressed living at home but now since she hasnt lived at home, she has changed sooo much. She smokes now, she drinks during class, she smokes weed with other friends in her car and comes to school high! It seems that she is seeking attention from a teacher, because she comes in smelling like smoke/weed/alchol during a certain class period. I think she needs someone to talk to and she wants to talk to this teacher. I think when she was living at home she said that it was ok for her to be depressed bc she was till a home but now that shes out she shouldnt be depressed so she is doing stupid stuff. I don't know wat to tell her, how to help her, and how she should just talk to her teacher. And is she depressed or is it something else?

Answer 1

Shes been looking for some shelter, she has found, unfortunately wrong one.
Make her realise before its too late, things are better resloved before they become great.
If she need to get this teacher to talk to her, and you think this might help her, become bridge between them, only if you think this teacher can help. Otherwise she will need professional help to get things right.

Answer 2

Depression could be part of the problem, but drugs and alcohol only make it worse. If she's living on her own because she had a bad situation at home then it sounds like she's got a lot of problems in her life and quite possibly does not have the support system to help her work through the problems. Being 16 and out on her own, another problem could be a lack of boundaries.

Answer 3

Living on your own is usually hard. times can be trying and one can really really get lonely. especially from a troubled past. what shes doing is basicaly looking for a friend. i dont mean people who she can hang out with, but a real friend, someone who can support her needs.

another thing she needs is to get up and do something with her life. im sure she feels low and maybe even have esteem problems. maybe she can find something shes really interested in and meet people who are also into those same things, then she can focus on that instead of her problems. maybe she can help other people out too. hey everybody has problems and the right help is always welcome, and dealing with a problem with somebody to help you go through is better than dealing it by your ownself, worse if you feel that your going nowhere. every problem has a solution, no matter how big they are. but one cant expect it to go away just like that. it takes time, effort and awhole lot of commitment.

so again all she needs is a friend, who will be there for her and somebody she knows she can trust, but that friend has to know when to help and when to to help too... sometimes there are things you really have to do on your own, but a good friend will support that person. and when its all over make her feel that can handle it agian when another problem arrises.

Answer 4

I think it may be her way of trying to get people to talk to her. Some people don't like to talk to people about their problems until they are asked about them. She sounds like she has been through a lot and hasn't really had a lot of guidence and without parents around it's probably normal for her to be getting into drugs and alcohol because of her past. She's just needs people in her life to help lead her down the right path and even if it doesn't work right away just keep trying, one day she will come around. Maybe you should talk to the teacher and ask them to talk to her, she might get a little mad at you but at least she will know that you care about her and one day she may thank you.

Answer 5

It could be any number of things. Besides depression it could be attention seeking, peer pressure, just having crazy fun. Sounds like she really wants attention. You can just ask her point blank if she's depressed or not. And how come a 16 yr old is living on her own legally?

Answer 6

Sounds like this little girl has bigger problems than she can even acknowledge. It sounds like the classic case of self medicating. She comes from a troubled past and apparently does not know how to work through it productively...she is going through a sort of self sabotage. She really needs emotional and drug counseling...otherwise...she will carry on her father;s legacy. She is still a hurt and mistreated child inside and is doing what ever it takes to try and make it all go away.

Answer 7

You have to let your friend know what she is doing to herself is not right. Ensure her that it was not her fault and give her hope and encourage her. You are a good friend because your question shows that you really care. At your age see if she will talk to a counselor at the school about it. She is depressed because of her dad's abuse which you already figured out. She feels unloved and insignificant! I encourage you to pray for her and if your a christian to invite her to church or to a church group outside of church. Many Church's have youth groups for people your age! She just might find that there are people just like her there that could encourage her too. She needs a friend more than anything right now, so I encourage you to be the best friend you were called to be. She also needs to get away from the atmosphere that she is in. Why don't you invite her to hang out with you? If she continues to hang with you and away from the cancer sticks, the alcohol and the drugs there will be still much hope for her to start the healing process. I have been though depression and that only reason am alive to talk with you today is: One: I had friends that encourage me to shoot for something better. Two: My friends got me away from the empty dark room of loneliness and invited me to different places and Third, I don't know if your a Christian or not but I encourage you now to become one, you do that by letting God's Love and Words offer hope and encouragement to you and your friends life! The most important thing is that if It had not been that I knew God and Jesus Died for my sins and for my pain of loneliness and depression I wouldn't have made it. God knows that we can't take on all of are pains in life and that we are all far from perfect. But, that is why God sacrificed his only son Jesus by having him nailed to a cross for all are loneliness and the imperfectness we feel in life. 1 John 4:9-11 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live though him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. For Your Friend Word of God Says: 2 Cor 4:8-9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. I leave you with the word of God that gave me hope out of my depression: Prov 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths! We can do nothing on are own, but though the faith in God and Jesus that loves us we can do many great things and make life worth living for!

Answer 8

You should seek the advice of a counsellor .Because it looks like she is in deep trouble

Answer 9

she is dealing with the after-effects of growing up on her own- no one was ever there for her. she has difficulty finding where she belongs. she needs someone to care about her and demand that she treet herself better and steer clear of the road to destruction she has embarked on.

Answer 10

Shes lonely and scared and desperately needing someone to care about her.