Most people that are truly depressed don’t recognize they are depressed. They are withdrawn. They are “sad”. They may show anger or may just be apathetic. When your friend says proudly that she is depressed and needs medication, I would suspect your take on things is correct. I would also put forth that I think most psychologists are hacks. They fall into “routine” diagnoses too easily. They meet with someone once and determine they are in need of medication. There are interesting parts of your story that might need more information to ease my questioning mind. First, psychologists are not allowed to prescribe medications. They are not medical doctors and their training has not risen to that level. Either a medical doctor would need to prescribe it or a psychiatrist (who does rise to the level of training to prescribe) would need to be involved. Another part that seems odd is that there was no discussion of continued therapy. Most psychologists want you to keep coming back (so they can make more money). And if they want you on medication, they want you to come back for routine therapy sessions so they can monitor if the meds are working. The fact you say she isn’t going to therapy is suspect.

I’d say it’s not for any of us here to judge either friend as we only know one side of the story- the side known to the OP. Even the OP only knows what little is told to her by both friends. How can anybody here second guess what’s determined and diagnosed by a professional?

It doesn’t matter if she’s feinting depression merely to get attention. Either way, she is clearly “disturbed”. Anyone choosing to “play crazy” is certainly in need of counseling in a land where the standard remedy for attention seekers is to pick up an automatic rifle for assured national recognition.

It’s hard to say about your friend with the meds, but I would take the one who tried to kill herself seriously. Her talking about it glibly is actually a flag that she’s being serious. It’s often a kind of self loathing and gallows humor that makes people joke about or make light of killing themselves. Suicide often isn’t planned, or rational, and she might be dealing with a lot of regret, shame, or horrified disbelief at what happened.

And no, I don’t think you’re being irrational, but you are being pretty judgemental. That’s not always a bad thing, but people everywhere assume the worst of each other already. If they are your friends, try to understand their truth from their perspective, because I guarantee there is one.

If someone wants, truly, to kill themselves they will eventually succeed. Have/had 4 close people to me, that attempted, and eventually killed themselves.
I think the first couple of tries, are a cry for help.
But, they genuinely want to die…...

I attempted suicide, when I was 19. I had a letter written, and was every pill, in the cabinet. Coincidentally, my father happened to be up, and caught me. I was rushed to the hospital, and had my stomach pumped. I was also given apomorohine. I spent hours vomiting, and I had a rough night.

After all the dust settled, I swore I would never do it again. And. I haven’t.

I was heart broken, again, and I just couldn’t cope with it.

I have a different stance now. Or since…...

I have put myself in instances, that should have killed me. But. I survived, somehow.

Now. It’s like a thought pattern. If the world thinks it can take me. Do it. But. I’m really hard to kill. I make the universe, have to take my life.
It can’t do it..
I have absorbed, what it can throw at me.
That’s part of why I went into Law Enforcement.
I wanted to be killed. But. I’ve been able to overcome amazing obstacles.

It’s like a challenge. The hope, is that I’ll die. But. I ain’t going without a fight.
I went into scenarios, where I was sure, I’d die. But. I came out injured, but I beat the odds…

I’ve backed down, somewhat, lately.
I’ve retired from law enforcement. If I never fight again, I’ll be happy. All I ever did, was hurt/injure people.

I….Just wanted to die… But not without a fight. I was sure that it would happen… But, it didn’t.

So. I just accepted that I couldn’t die, that way.So. I am atrying to build a new career.

I mainly wish, I was never born. But, I can’t do anything about that now.

I’m almost 40. I NEVER thought I’d live, this long…

Life, is crazy.

I think it’s very risky for people (especially teenagers) without degrees/training in mental health to evaluate the mental wellbeing of others (let alone pass judgment). There are many things in human psychology that seemingly contradict common sense, or pop-psychology.

”...people seem to want to be mentally ill, as though that gives them some higher ground or something.”

Frankly I don’t think you have a clue what you’re talking about. What data are you basing this claim on? Is there any research or are you just going off of your Facebook/Instagram and making assumptions about other people and generalizing?

@gorillapaws I’m sorry I’ve not really done any research, nor is it my intent to generalize about the people in this world. By people I meant specifically my classmates. It’s become a sort of trend amongst them to say they’re depressed or anxious at any little thing that happens and then whine about going to a psychiatrist/psychologist. I mean I’m sorry, but of a class of 15 students, 10 cannot seriously be suffering mental health issues so severe that they all need medication. I posted this when my temper was flaring and I was highly annoyed. Once I calmed down I realized this post might be inflammatory to some but it was too late to edit or delete the post. I flagged it and asked the mods to remove it but so far that hasn’t happened.
I’m young, I make mistakes, and this post is one of them. I’m sorry if anybody who comes across finds this presumptuous, judgmental or just downright rude. I did not mean to be so. I made a mistake in the height of anger at people I know making light of such serious things.

I would also appreciate if anyone who comes across this not tick me off, since I recognize how foolhardy this post this.
I appreciate all your responses so far.
Thank you.

@MaisyS I don’t think your instincts that perhaps we’re systemically overmedicating are wrong. There are many plausible reasons for this. For one thing, when a patient walks into a doctor’s office, they expect to walk out with something to fix their problem. There is a well-documented phenomena of doctors overprescribing antibiotics to treat patients with viral infections for example due to this phenomena.

I just had concerns about the tone/judgment angle of your comment. I apologize if my response came across as rude.

I get frustrated when people with no training in mental health start making statements with no evidence to back it up. I took a class in abnormal psychology that involved spending a day shadowing our professor who was a doctor at the state mental hospital. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience, and I realized a lot of my ignorant earlier beliefs about mental health were simply wrong just from that one day at the hospital. When listened to a woman with schizophrenia describe her fears about returning home because she was anxious about the judgment of her neighbors, it broke my heart because I knew that people really can be hurtful in their judgment. When someone is potentially suicidal, that judgment at the wrong time can be a recipe for someone losing their life. We should always take suicidal people seriously, even if we think they’re not. We don’t have the training to do a proper risk assessment.

@gorillapaws it’s all okay and you’re right. Of course I would never tell my friends I doubt them because really I don’t have the whole picture. But I completely understand where you were coming from. Thank you for a solid reminder that I should consider my words carefully :).

^Hmmm. Welcome to Fluther. You seem like a good addition.

Your capabilities to absorb other’s thoughts, while having the ability of introspection, make you a better person, than you may think you are.

Welcome to the pond. I hope you stay. We cannot solve, all of my your problems. But. We offer insight, and will generally try to help.
You could be a jelly, that helps others, with your insight.
Helping others, is a noble thing.

Peace n love.