My SIL is in ICU cuz she tried to O.D. last night. I'm worried yes, but she put the whole event on face book!!!!!!!! I knew she was depressed, but I think this sounds more like a cry for help. I know this sounds awfull but I'm not sure I believe her "I want to die" bs.(I know how bad this sounds, but why would she put it on FB if she didn't want some one to come drive her a$$ tho the hospital?) I think she is just miserably depressed and wants to make sure people still care about her. I have no idea why she wouldn't feel loved but depression can really mess with your mind. She is not willing to go get the help she needs to, She needs medication. I just don't know what to do for her any more. I can't make her get help, this is something she has to do on her own.
Re: vent.
does she have a history of depression? what's the back story here?
Her parents should advocate that the hospital put her on a psychiatric hold.
yes there is a history of depression. She doesn't speak to her dad, hasn't in like 8 years. and her mom livs far away. My SIL is like 33 years old, like I said I can't make her do anything she has do get help for her self
You know, that's what they say and you are partially right, but not completely. It would be more accurate to say that she has to be ready to accept help.
If you have never been through depression, you may not realize exactly how debilitating it can be. It is extremely difficult to make the move to get help for yourself in that state. Sometimes you need the help of others and everyone has a different way of asking. Whether it's someone to make the phone call and schedule an appt or an escort to the doctor's office, people do need help getting help. So, someone can help her when she is ready for it. She may not be able to help herself. She just needs to be ready to accept the help of someone else. Please keep in mind that she may be trying to help herself by asking for help, even if you don't appreciate the way she has chosen to do so.
I think unless you've been depressed before its easy to dismiss a suicide attempt as not serious and not trying to kill herself. In reality it means a person is so miserable and so lost that this is the only way they can think of to express that. Imagine how horrible it would be to feel that horrible. Depending on how her battle with mental illness has gone its also possible she's sought help before that didn't work or is convinced now that help won't work.
Regardless, hopefully you and DH can use this event to get her held indefinitely and possibly committed so she can get set up with some resources for when she's discharged.
ETA: I had a family member who struggled with depression basically her entire life and did attempt suicide fairly recently. Basically, past attempts at treatment had not been entirely successful and she was just tired and felt out of options. The hospital staff worked with her to set up a long term treatment plan, provided her with out patient counseling every day when she was released, etc and some family members got involved to help support her. Some family turned their backs and said they were tired of dealing with it and others stepped up to help her. She isn't entirely healthy now but she's a lot happier. This isn't a person who is a criminal and chooses to keep committing crimes, this is a person who is more like someone who has diabetes and needs resources to manage their illness successfully. I get that you don't want her to be "your problem" but have some empathy for a family member who is struggling and be a good person, step up to offer her some kind of emotional support.
Well, isn;t the suicide attempt on FB effective to get help?
Yes, it is clinicallysupported that people who do want help ... who don't necessarily want to doi ... do commit and broadcaste suicide.
Why aren't you connecting the dots?
As someone who has lost a loved one to suicide, please take her actions seriously. Healthy people do not overdose and do not talk about wanting to die. Be thankful that she posted it in a public forum so that someone could take action right away.
If she attempts suicide again and is successful, you will be very sorry that you didn't take her cries for help seriously.
A person who threatens suicide, means it. Its not BS. Speaking from experience here, I knew someone who was successful sadly. They did have a history with threatening to commit suicide too.
She is crying out for help. She needs help, but not the help family could give...only a doc could give it. Maybe a psychologist, someone to talk to who is capable of handling issues that she may be experiencing.
Maybe you guys need to speak to the national suidice prevention hotline @ 888-273-8255. They would be better suited to help you.
I have a cousin who does the exact same thing. She even "collapsed" and passed out on FB. She typed "I feel dizzy. Oh SH..." She swears she fell at that point, hit her head and passed out for several hours. I was left wondering how she was conveniently able to click "POST". It was all a bunch of BS. She's attempted suicide on FB, got hauled to the looney bin (her words) on FB, broke her leg on FB...you name it. I don't even qualify her behavior as a cry for help. It's a cry for attention, which is a different animal altogether.
Your SIL's situation may or may not be the same, but I know the feeling of guilt due to wondering why she would choose to post such things if she was serious about taking her life.