Friend in crisis

I need advice/support please, I called 911 because I felt my friend was in crisis. She has had depression for many years and not left the house more than once in the last year and a half. She called the other day because of strong bad thoughts. I talked to her long enough and spent some time with her. Today she calls and it’s bad again but not as bad as the last time. Says these thoughts are a continuous issue for years. My therapist said I should have called 911 immediately the first time so this time I did. It was terrible and now w my friend is still waiting to be seen in the hospital and is telling me through text that she wasn’t going to do anything and that I never should have done this because it’s not going to help. Did I do the wrong thing??

You are awesome Labradorite! She may be upset but you did the best thing for her. It is hard, I know, but don't doubt yourself.

Hugs, Karen...

Thank you all so much for the support! Doing the same thing over and over again was getting no where and I felt like I had to do something to break the cycle. I’m just really relieved she is getting some help and I hope it makes a difference.

Just an update: my friend has been so happy to have food prepared for her and the doctor was apparently so good that she said if she had had him in the beginning she felt she would have had a much better handle on things. Definitely made me tear up. She will only be there a few days but hopefully this will make a difference.

When your friend gets out, please tell her to be positive that she can get through this. The same thing that got her into that situation, negative frame of mind, can cause her to slip back into it, as she may be looking for reasons to fail rather than reasons to succeed.

Tell her about the resources at the top of the list of posts on this forum.

Stay talking to her, she's going to need help when she gets out. If you see her slipping, remind her again about positive, and give her tips on what she can do, reminding her of her appointments and taking her medicine and good meals.

Maybe encouraging her to get out, volunteering at a dog kennel by walking dogs, or at a hospital or a library or a senior citizens home, get her to thinking about other peoples problems, you know, like those dogs'.

Maybe you can take walks with her and talk to her on the phone or e-mail.

Something got her down. Try to intervene. Well, you've already done that.

L

as someone who has attempted 3 times. I can positively tell you it was the correct thing to do.

the anger is normal.

From your update I guess she went inpatient. The good thing about inpatient is they do a safe discharge, meaning the person has to have a therapist appoint and a psychiatrist or psychologist appointment. yesterday of course the person can cancel and not follow through, perhaps this is a wake up call for your friend and she won't.

You have nothing to feel guilty for. I lost a friendship once, I told the person, I hope you hate me until you're 90. They apologized 2yrs later. Not close anymore but that's ok.

You did good.
Peace
Trina