How do I know if my friend is acting like this for attention?

[xoxoxo]

So my friend is depressed. She tried to kill herself about a month ago but she had been cutting herself for a few months before.

She's currently in a psychiatric ward, but while she's been in there she's found ways to hurt herself and even attempt again.

She constantly relates everything to her depression and sends me pictures of her cuts an scars. She always finds a way to work her anxiety/OCD/depression into whatever we're talking about and she is always posting all te shit she's done on twitter.

she's also developed an eating disorder. She talks about it like it's nothing, and she has diagnosed herself but she says she doesn't need help. If I were to ask her if she wants something to eat she would say something like 'I can't. Oh the joys of an eating disorder'

I don't know how to help anymore. She doesn't give a shit about anything. She doesn't care that annorexia can kill her. She doesn't accept my help whenever I offer it to her and she's gotten mad at me for stepping in and telling her mom and her nurses what's going on

I don't know what to do. My mom thinks she's doing it for attention.. ?

[Live from my sofa]

You can't help her. Yes, she's desparate for attention, but that doesn't mean she's not also very sick.

Unfortunately, self-cutting and eating disorders are very very difficult to treat.

And you can not help her. All you can do is protect yourself from her sucking the life force out of you. Grow a backbone, and tell her you don't want to hear about her problems if she's not going to work on fixing them. She may try to manipulate you into giving her the attention by threatening to harm herself, as that is usually their "go to" form of control of others. Don't buy into it. Tell her firmly that you won't be emotionally blackmailed, and that you hope she gets the help she needs, but you're not qualified to give it.

[Sophie]

She is in a very tough spot unfortunately. The most important thing you can do is be there for her. I honestly don't think she is doing it for attention. If you think safety is an issue please tell an adult immediately.

Good luck and I hope she's okay!