Helping Young Person With Depression

[Bumblebean]

I have a young relative with depression and maybe BPD or HPD. She craves attention and reassurance. She can seem fine for a while then it's like she drops into a dark hole. I love this 18 yr old very much but have been very careful to not get pulled into the drama. How can I help her without making myself "crazy" or putting too big a strain on my health which suffers a lot when I am stressed or worried?
She has a lot of "friends" who either encourage her dark moods or give really stupid or dangerous advice. I wish I could chase them away, but I cant so somehow I have to find the right words and actions and hope to drown them out a little.
Any ideas would be really welcome!
Thanks,
BB
ps I have a lot of medications, e.g. potent muscle relaxers and I am hiding them in case she gets really set on taking an overdose cocktail. Apart from calling an ambulance if she finds them, what else can I do. Heaven forbid she finds them but I dont want to take chances.

 

[MHealthJo]

I am so sorry you are dealing with this very stressful situation Bumblebean. I am so sorry too that this young person is going through this.

Support for you when you are caring about someone else in this situation, can be really important. At times also, guidance and advice from a professional about something like this can help us to feel more confident with it and help us to have an idea that we know what to do. This can be supportive and encouraging, feeling like we have some kind of plan. So if you feel like you need or want to, you can consider the idea of a professional giving you a little bit of support and guidance, or perhaps some input from a support group in your area aimed at loved ones of the sufferers of these conditions, if you start to feel like something like that might make you feel more confident with it and have more to offer.

Does she have a therapist that she feels comfortable with who is doing good work with her?

 

[MHealthJo]

I've also just noticed that the following section of the forum has resources and threads that might be of use Bumblebean:

Child and Adolescent Depression

 

[making_art]

Glad to hear from you, BB? How are you doing?

To support your young relative provide her with crisis support information like this: Welcome | Kids Help Phone


The above is a canadian resource but check here for more:
Crisis Resources

 

[Bumblebean]

Hi. Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm sorry I didn't answer sooner but I have terrible signal here especially now that I'm using an elderly mobile, which I don't think was made for arthritic old fingers
I will hope I can keep this connection long enough to read everything and maybe push my luck with a reply or two.
In the past couple of days my young relation has been doing quite well. I know she'll have many dark days, but some really good things have happened and I hope they will shine a small light for her.
I think I saw someone asking about a therapist. Here in small town northern BC there ain't no such animal unless you have a lot of money. She can see a councelor for free but so far she's not wanting to. Maybe that will change. I hope so.
Anyway I had better try and post before I lose my signal. Thanks again! I'm very grateful.
BB