I don't know what to do!!!

[mediamogul]

I've had this friend since the 7th grade. She's always been a relatively fearful person, but lately it's been getting worse and worse. Ten years ago, when we were 18, her 23 year old sister was killed in a car accident, leaving behind 5 small children. Because of this, my friend has never driven a car... she's nearly 30. She has never had a job or been to college, and has always lived in the projects, where she collects welfare.

About 6 months ago, a really close friend of hers committed suicide. Since then, I've noticed a steady decline in her already fragile sanity.

The other night she called me at 3am, so scared I could barely understand her. Her computer started playing music, full blast and for no obvious reason. She was convinced it was a supernatural force that had made it happen, and wouldn't come out of the broom closet. I tried to convince her that it could've been anything, telling her it could be a computer virus, or the cat- anything. It didn't have to be a ghost. She wouldn't listen.

The next day she went out shopping with her mother. When she got home, she saw that her bedroom dresser had fallen forward. She freaked out again, and of course, she called me. I go down there, and examine the fallen dresser. It was one of those $15 Walmart specials in a box. The top drawer was completely full of all kinds of junk. It was really ridiculous, actually. There was nothing in any of the drawers below it. I asked her if she had left the top drawer open. She couldn't recall. I tried to calm her down by explaining that if she left that full top drawer open, it would have tipped the whole thing over. She wouldn't hear it. Swore it was supernatural.

She said it was either her dead sister or friend that had been causing all of this. So using logic to subdue insanity, I asked her what the big deal was. If it was the ghost of people she loved, why be scared. She couldn't explain, she just continued to rock back and forth in the fetal position and sob. In the meantime, I found and killed the virus that had infected her media player.

Now she won't go back to her house. She is staying at my house, and every noise she hears is the ghosts. I am at my wits end! I don't know what to do. What would you people do? She won't talk to any doctors, and I'm fucking lost. I have no idea how to handle this kind of craziness. If you don't have any suggestions, please just make me laugh or something.

It sounds like she would benefit from seeing a therapist, particularly one that specializes in grief counseling.

Someone mentioned having her put on a psychiatric hold for observation in the hospital. In MA it is called a "Section 12" and involves the police. They wouldn't hold her unless there was a serious episode, often involving harm to self or others, with overt psychiatric symptoms.

If she won't accept help then that is her decision but if it is doing damage to your well being then you have every right to limit or even break contact with her until she seeks help. You can't fix her through being a good friend. A person suffering serious grief or trauma needs help from a trained mental health professional.

My two cents, as someone in the field.