My friend is so ill

[felinechums]

I have known a young woman for some years, and had always thought her to be quite well adjusted, but she is now in the psychiatric unit of a local hospital, after she took an overdose. She has been there for about four weeks and is likely to be there for some time. I visited her two weeks ago and took her some chocolates, but I don't think she was able to eat them. I am going to visit her again this week, and I wondered if anyone has any suggestions for a wee present. She cannot concentrate to read anything and she is not interested in eating, so books and chocolates are no good. Her illness makes her disinterested in her appearance (she has never been one for make up anyway) and she still has to be reminded to shower etc so she will not really think much of toiletries or perfume. Does anyone have any ideas what might help her, or what she might like?I'd be grateful for any suggestions.

[maggie01]

What about some flowers or a plant.

[pega]

does she like the radio a small pocket radio and headphone or a cassette with some nice story tapes ?or music, will she write to friends, some notelets and stamps, ? you could ask is there anything you need and best of all your visit and company is a gift.

[felinechums]

Thank you so much to everyone who replied - I had thought about flowers, but I noticed that there are quite a lot of flowers around the unit, so I thought that they might be a bit too much of the same. I like the idea of the story tapes. But it is reassuring to see that you think my visit would be helpful. I had wondered if I was being a pest visiting her because she was embarrased when I first went in, and said so. I don't think she has bipolar depression, but I think it is a very severe unipolar. She lives alone but has family about an hour away and some really close friends. But she is the kind of person who puts on an act when someone is around, and it is hard to see when she is suffering. This time, she just wasn't able to put on the act any longer. I feel so sorry for her in the hospital as she cannot wear her clothes (she went walkabout one night and scared everybody). In spite of this, she has some good insight into how ill she is and and most of the time she realises that she shouldn't leave the hospital until she is better able to cope - but sometimes she loses sight of this, especially when she can't sleep and spends the night worrying. Thanks for your support. I will post again and let you know.

[huntlyn]

nice too see she has a good friend, firstly she probably feels she,s in the wrong place but at least somebody is listening to her then she,ll start to make freinds and probably the most unlikliest when your in a normall world, she,ll start to bond and probably think her problems weren,t as bad as the ones she here,s about just keep going to see her and supporting her and she,ll realize she still has friends