My friend tried to kill herself - why can't I get over it months later?

Question

My friend, not a best friend but still a close friend, attempted suicide nearly 3 months ago at a house party I was at. We were all a bit drunk and she took an overdose. A friend who was thankfully sober drove her to A&E. She was fine in the end, but it was terrifying. She has been suffering with depression for years and this was her sixth attempt to take her own life.

I can't stop thinking about it. I have dreams, both at night and daydreams when my mind wanders, imagining that it had been a successful attempt, imagining going to her funeral, imagining trying to comfort my friends. It's always playing on my mind, like when I'm at work I keep on imagining having to ask for a day off to attend the funeral.

Surely this is a really exaggerated reaction? Why can't I move on and forget about this?

Sunrise · Answer

Hi!  This is a pretty serious situation.  It is not surprising that the experience stayed with you.

Here are two thoughts:

1.)  Please listen to "Letting Go" by Sunrise Guided Visualizations (link below).  Allow yourself to work through the experience.  You will probably want to listen 2 or 3 times.

2.)  When you find the obsessive thought bothering you, first acknowledge it.  Accept it -- say to yourself "I recognize this thought, and I accept it."  Then choose to go in a different direction -- say to yourself "I choose not to follow that train of thought today.  Instead, I will do this."  Then go do it.  It will take 30 repetitions of this practice to where the habit is broken.

I hope your friend gets good help, too.

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My friend tried to kill herself - why can't I get over it months later?

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