Need some advice with a friend undergoing depression

I've never dealt with someone who's gone through that.I would advise that you try to keep at a distance, but not so that she feels isolated, be supportive. She needs to take things at her own pace.

Okay, to be honest, I've had depression. Not so much from a horrible event in my life, but rather a bad set of family genetics. So, with that said, I'm not quite sure what it's like to be in the depressive state from such a tramuatic event. However, I will tell you this, there is nothing you can do to help her besides encourage her to talk to the counselor. I suppose you could tell the therapist yourself, and risk losing your friend's trust in you. But only pursue that option if you think there is no other viable choice.

Counsellors help by providing a listening ear. They are unlikely to cure anything, particularly if it is serious, but they are a good step in encouraging further treatment options or confrontation with the problem. In this case I hope the girl has someone in her family who will first and foremost give her their love and support, rather than contributing to her misery and shame. If that is the case coaxing her to open up (the counsellor will likely encourage this) will hopefully help. If not, she has even more sympathy from me. You are in a difficult, but also very trusted, important position. I hope you will give her all the support she needs. Having a friend can make such a big difference, particularly to a depressed person. I do not want to offer counsel on seeing the police, as there is too much I do not understand. Although if it were me I would want justice. -blam!- is so traumatic and destructive, that whoever did it deserves to be punished - not only for the sake of the poor girl, but also for the sake of any other girl that might find herself confronted with the man. I do not think the police are obligated to pass the information on to her family, if she does not want them to do so. After having given them information, I also believe going further and entangling herself in any stressful legal proceedings is entirely her choice (please someone correct me if I have any misconceptions here).

BTW if she is depressed she probably needs medication. The -blam!- isn't causing the depression. It only makes it worse.

I deal with extreme depression 24/7. I can't take anti-depressent because my dad won't let me.Have Rachel e-mail me.

Wow, teenagers are so dumb. Just tell the police already.

You put it in S7 because they're more mature then you made it public? You dumb? Anyways, I've had a lot of friends that have been -blam!-...it's rough and it's going to take years for them to get over. Just gotta get her mind off of it.

Its ok we know you are referring to yourself. Serious note: the councilor should be bound by patient confidentiality, also if she doesnt want to press charges, she cant be forced to. Best bet for her, is to get iot out, where she can work through it, or else it will cause more trouble. Also have the rapist/s been dealt with accordingly?

She obviously trusts you, if she shared that with you and not her family. I think you should persuade her to report the crime. It's not just that she needs to come to terms with what happened, but that if the rapist is still at large, he could hurt someone else. Also, do you know this thread is public?

I won't ask for details, but perhaps the reason she doesn't want to bring the information to her family is because a member of her family is the perpetrator? I could be completely off the mark here, but most victims of sexual abuse and violence know their attackers.

Another problem could be that the offender has threatened to harm her or close ones if she tells the police, or anything like that.

Counselors are barred from revealing patient information without consent; she does not need to worry about him/her reporting the crime. *This is only true if she's a minor.

I don't need any more help guys. I was actually the one that was -blam!- and was just concealing it. I am going to tell my counselor now.

Not to make light of such a serious problem, but 'Billy Mays' is probably not the best stand-in name you could have chosen if you want this to be taken seriously. As for the issue itself; she needs to tell either the counselor or her parents immediately. Her family SHOULD be upset. Whoever did it to her should have to pay for what he did. And keeping it a secret is probably contributing toward furthering her depression over the whole ordeal.

Huh, if I had put that this was a girl advice thread this thrad would have 35251 replies by now. But actual advice dealing with problematic things? Too much for b.net