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I Am Really Worried About One of My Friends. What Can I Do to Help?

Published: March 04, 2021
Dear TeenHealthFX,
hey tfx, im really worried about my friends. one of my friends, idk acts kinda depressed. when were calling, hes just really sad al the time. and he's mean for no reason, and is i jokingly say 'omg i hate you' it really hurts him. today, he just started breaking and destroying our stuff in minecraft, which isn't that big of a deal. but we were a bit angry at him, cuz you know, we did put a lotta work into that.i had to go have dinner,and my friends told me he totally went into a mental breakdown bout that. some of my other friends texted me that he said that he thought i hated him, and that he never wanted to see me again. he was seriously ( i think) talking about killing himself, and texted me: 'glad i knew you'. my other friend had to give him 'therapy', which was also super hard on her, because she was afraid our friend group was going to fall apart, and that he might kill himself. im really worried, especially about him. what is there i can do to help?
Signed: I Am Really Worried About One of My Friends. What Can I Do to Help?
Dear I Am Really Worried About One of My Friends. What Can I Do to Help?,

TeenHealthFX is sorry to hear about what your friend is going through. It sounds like he has a lot going on and unfortunately, we cannot diagnose over the internet. Although you and your friends are good intentioned with trying to give him “therapy” it is extremely important he reach out to a trusted adult, teacher, school counselor or school nurse and tell them what is going on. They will be able to provide the support that your friend needs.

In the meantime, we suggest that you and your friends try to be mindful of things you say to him. For example, even though you say jokingly “omg, I hate you” he probably thinks there is some truth to it. At times it can be hard for people to tell the difference between what is real and what is sarcastic. Also, if you say it a lot, he may believe there is truth to it.

If you feel your friend needs immediate assistance, call 911 or lives e in Northern New Jersey you can call the Atlantic Behavioral Health ACCESS Center at 1-888-247-1400. Nationally, you can text the Crisis Text Line by Texting HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor. We also have a Mental Health resource page with additional hotlines and websites that may be helpful.

Signed: TeenHealthFX

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