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Psychotherapy and Mental Health Questions

Suicidal Friend

I am 27 i have a friend who is 18, allow me to call her Mary, just graduated from high school, she is a wonderful young lady. I am concerned for her safety. I lost touch with her family for about 8 years, I have recently found them again. Mary is now very depressed, threatens suicide, tells everyone they would be better off without her and she cuts herself. I do not know what to do. She has asked me to try and help her figure this out, as I admitted to her that when I was younger I, too, had some of these same issues. She has said she will only talk to me if one, I promise not to tell a soul and two, only when she feels she can trust me 100 percent. In the mean time she continues to cut--it is killing me inside to see this wonderful little girl hurting herself all the time. Is there something I could possibly do to help her without betraying her trust? I am truly worried about her, I want her to talk to someone, anyone who may be able to help her, but I know she will not accept professional help. I want to do whatever I can to help, but I am only a friend, not a doctor. She needs help and quick! It tears me up to see her this way, all the cuts and scars-remnants of what she has done to herself, please give me some information to point me in the right direction to help her!

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