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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by B2chica on July 26, 2011, at 12:27:18
got to thinkin this is more of a psychology question rather than medicine?
i dont know. sorry i'm double posting.
but i could use some help here...please all.
b2c.
Posted by emmanuel98 on July 26, 2011, at 20:15:59
In reply to question on SI comments from others, posted by B2chica on July 26, 2011, at 12:27:18
It's hard to know what to do. But you should urge her to go to an ER if she real feels she will act on a plan. They will treat her even without insurance, since it is a medical emergency. The hospital has no legal right to charge if they have committed you to a locked ward.
Posted by pegasus on July 27, 2011, at 8:25:39
In reply to question on SI comments from others, posted by B2chica on July 26, 2011, at 12:27:18
B2C, I'm sorry to hear that things are so hard. I was just wondering the other day how you were doing.
The classic things we're told to do when someone makes a suicidal statement are:
1. Take it seriously, and ask about what she means. Yeah, she may not mean it totally seriously, but it's way better to ask. It's best to say something really direct, hard as it is, like, "Have you been thinking about killing yourself?"
2. Try to figure out whether she has thought of a specific plan for how she would do it. Plans are bad news.
3. If she has a plan, try to figure out if she has the means to carry out her plan. For example, does she have the sleeping pills in her possession now? If so, that's even worse news.
If she is really considering it, has a plan, and has the means, then that's a very high risk. In that situation, I'd actually try to have a really frank conversation about it with her, and don't let her change the subject. Try to make a safety plan, and get her to agree to some kind of help, or regularly checking in with you, or something like that.
It could sound something like, "I am really worried that you are going to kill yourself, and I want you to know that I'd be devastated if you did that. Will you let me help you find someone who knows how to help you? What are some things that sometimes help you feel better when that comes up? Will you call me when you start feeling like that?"
Most communities have some kind of suicide/crisis hotline that maybe you could look up for her. Then you could maybe ask her to agree to call them if she starts thinking suicidal thoughts.
Good luck.
- P
Posted by B2chica on July 27, 2011, at 11:04:40
In reply to Re: question on SI comments from others, posted by pegasus on July 27, 2011, at 8:25:39
Thanks so much P.
she called me last night at 2am crying but i was so wiped out from starting zyprexa again that i could barely talk and couldnt understand her. she apologized for waking me up, started mentioning her boyfriend then we agreed shed call me today.
i just heard from her. she sounds much more like herself. She knows shes been very emotional last few days more so than normal and told me she just started AF and she thinks thats why.
i had looked up some numbers yesterday for her to call.i told her the other day that she needed to PROMISE to call me if she ever felt like harming herself. she promised.
i know she didnt have a plan. and she was over emotional.i know she didnt have a plan. and i hope she never will.
i didnt know what to do except all the things id heard before..:) so thanks i did do those.
***********
the only problem was i was NOT in a place to have that discussion with her. as i wanted nothing more than to agree with her that life is crap and why not end the suffering. it was making me worse.
thats why i was in such a confused state as to what to do.as on meds board i explained today that i heard from pdoc last night, he called. i told him all that was going on with me (except niece issue) and i started augmenting with zyprexa last night.
he thinks i'll only have to augment for a couple weeks till i see him. he's thinking to try deplin with me.
so we'll see.Thanks for asking P!
miss you folks over here at social, but its still pretty triggering and now that i'm going solo (no T) i'm trying to stay out of the 'past' as best as i can.Luv ya miss ya
b2c.
Posted by pegasus on July 28, 2011, at 11:37:04
In reply to Re: question on SI comments from others » pegasus, posted by B2chica on July 27, 2011, at 11:04:40
Hi B2,
Sounds like you handled it really well. Especially since you were in such a bad place yourself. I'm glad you have the help of some meds, and hope on the horizon in terms of adjusting those for the future.
Yeah, it can be hell trying to help someone crawl out of a bad place, when you're all curled up there yourself. When I'm struggling with suicidal thoughts, the *last* thing I want is to have to think of what someone else needs, and muster the energy to help them. Depression seems to have a big component that squashes my ability to focus on others.
I think that there can be some value in actually sitting in the bad place with someone. Having someone listen, and get it, can feel so helpful sometimes.
Good work, and I hope you're doing a lot better yourself soon.
- P
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