paranoid...cutter?

Question

I have this friend that needs help. i always asked her what was up but she told me it was always nothing or that she was just upset that day.a couple of days ago she finally came clean. For the past year she had been depressed or she THINKS she was cause she was just never happy and at times didnt really know what she was feeling.whenever she did get sad she would cut herself. She showed me all her scarrs too. I know this sounds stupid but I always noticed the cuts but never put it together.she hasnt cut for almost 6 months and doesnt plan to start though she gets urges once and a while. But she says one week she will be completely happy and the next week she'll be depressed. She feels like everyone is out to get her too. Like people dont invite her places to hurt her. she knows its stupid but she feels it.sometimes she shes a man outside staring back at her but she knows he's not really there.she thinks I think she's crazy but I know she needs help. what could be wrong?

Answer 1

psycosis

Answer 2

Hi, I'm very sorry to hear that your friend is having a hard time. She is lucky to have a friend like you that she can confide in and who cares about her so much.

As to your question of what could be wrong, I cannot answer that. The list of possibilities is so long that there is no point going through that. There are clearly mood symptoms, which are indicative of a possible mood disorder and also self harm behaviors, which can accompany many issues. Her age may also be a relevant factor in determining her diagnoses.

Instead, may I suggest that you recommend that she look into therapy? You can even offer to accompany her. If she is 18 or older, she does not need any parental consent and the therapist cannot even tell her parents (or anyone else) that they have ever heard of her because therapy is confidential. If she is under 18, she will need her parents' permission to seek counseling, but hopefully if she shares with them that she is needing it (not the details if she is not comfortable), they will support that request.

Naturally, a big concern is her cutting since that can be very dangerous (as you could accidently kill yourself). Some people recommend wearing a rubberband around your wrist and then snapping it when you feel the urge to cut. You can also use ice as that will cause pain without the same risk of unintentional injury. It is natural for her to have urges still since she has not necessarily learned new coping skills to replace her old ones (like cutting). This is where a therapist can be very helpful. It's part of their job to help their clients learn new coping strategies. To clarify, the urges themselves are not bad, but it seems to me that she is hurting and needing some help.

I hope this helps and I wish you and your friend luck!

Answer 3

Your friend took a big step just in coming clean. She trusted you not to react with disgust or panic, and it sounds like you came through for her. Kudos.

People cut for any number of reasons - when I cut, it was to prove to myself that the emptiness I felt inside wasn't real - I had to see the blood to convince myself there was SOMETHING inside me. It's great that she hasn't cut for 6 months, but has the root cause of her cutting been addressed?

Seeing a man that she knows isn't there is a form of psychosis. Medication can help with that. Same with paranoia. Meds can also help even out mood swings.

Confiding in a friend is good, but she would really benefit from seeing a professional. A psychiatrist can help with medication, and a therapist can help with her thought patterns. What she's experiencing is beyond your ability to fix - please encourage her to seek professional help.

Answer 4

She may be suffering from bipolar disorder, possibly co-existing with another disorder, but it requires expert diagnosis. See bipolar disorder at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris on page 5: print/refer her. She should see a doctor, and ask for a referral.

Answer 5

Paranoia schizophrenia. Beginning stages possibly.