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From: chen@gitpyr.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.suicide,net.college
Subject: Re: info on depression, and helping a friend (query)
Message-ID: <1524@gitpyr.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 9-Mar-86 05:07:03 EST
Article-I.D.: gitpyr.1524
Posted: Sun Mar  9 05:07:03 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Mar-86 01:08:02 EST
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Organization: The Clouds Project, The School of ICS, Georgia Tech
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Xref: watmath net.suicide:880 net.college:1212

I was a Peer Counselor as an undergraduate at Princeton University.
I strongly agree with everything Jason Zions wrote.  I'd like to add
a few things, though.

I, too, strongly recommend getting him to some sort of professional
counseling (at the Health Center or the Chapel) as opposed to
counseling him yourself.   However many people, especially those used
to thinking of themselves as achievers, aren't comfortable with the
idea of seeking professional counseling.  If the school doesn't have
counselors available or if your friend refuses to see them, check with
the school's counterpart to the Dean of the Chapel.  Most chaplains/
priests/rabbis/etc. at schools are trained in counseling and most
school chapels are non-demoninational.  So if your friend is more
comfortable in that kind of setting, you may be able to find someone
there who can help him.

Take care of yourself, though.  Since you obviously care about your
friend, I have no doubt that you'll be at least listening to his
problems, even if he does get professional counseling.  If you find his
problems taking up a lot of your time or energy, don't hesistate to see
someone for yourself if you feel things might be getting out of
control.

Now I'm sure I'm overreacting on this next point, but you did
post to net.suicide and so I got a little nervous...

If you think it will help your peace of mind, go spend a little time at
the Health Center or the Chapel and find out what you should do in case
you think someone is going to commit suicide.  You'll probably and
hopefully never have to use the information but at the very least
you may feel better knowing that you have some plan of action
should the situation ever come up in your life.

Good luck.

	Ray Chen
	gatech!gitpyr!chen

"Be careful out there..."  -- Hill Street Blues