Suicidal cousin. What should I do?

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Hi everyone!

I’m not totally sure where to post this because I’m new on this site. Anyway, my cousin just got diagnosed, she's fourteen years old and she's very depressed ever since she got her diagnosis. She has ADD and she even wrote a letter to her mom that said a last goodbye. Of course her mom talked to her about it but she just said that it was a joke. I don't believe her at all.

Reason? I felt the same way when I got diagnosed and realized that hey, I’m not like anyone else and that I may never be. She’s young, she think nobody understand how she feels, but I do, I know exactly how she feels. Now to my questions.

Should I just let it be and pray it’ll disappear and she’ll be fine? Or should I take her to a place we both enjoy to be at and talk to her about my own experience with my disability and tell her that it gets better?

I'd talk to her.......I attempted suicide when I was 15, and I didn't tell anyone I was planning to, I imagine if I had made a note and someone found it I to would have probably either said it was a joke, or that i was just writing poetry or something. I mean I can't be sure if it really was a 'joke' or not but with suicide its better safe then sorry.

But yeah if you talk to her about your experiences that might help, just be careful not to indicate she's wrong for feeling this way or anything like that.....otherwise she might not be willing to listen because she will just feel like you don't really want to help.

I agree with Sweetleaf talking it over with her is probably the best option.

Life is funny I am 42 and just now seeking a diagnoses and I’ll be relieved if it’s positive. Can’t say that if I had found out when I was young I wouldn’t have felt the same way as your cousin but with hindsight now I wish had been diagnosed when I was young it would have saved me many years of confusion and anger.

Good luck.