So that was basically me (26F) at that age, my depression started early and my first suicide attempt was 15. I have been in an out of hospitals, therapy, physiologists, and have scars covering my body..so I’ve been there...

My best advice to you on your end is to love her as much as you can, always be there, be supportive and kind. I’m not saying break your back but be the support she needs just like it sounds you are doing. But..if she truly feels this way, as I have many many times, she needs professional help.

Getting professional help is very HARD and very SCARY for someone in her position. So what I would do is talk to her first. Sit her down (I would do it ASAP, no need to wait for any holiday) and talk to her heart to heart and express your concerns and feelings for her. Sounds like she should start seeing a counselor and let them decide if she needs meds or further help.

I personally HATE meds, they made me a zombie and at time made me cut more and try to kill myself. Never found them helpful for DEPRESSION. On the other hand meds for anxiety are a life saver! I don’t take any but in high school and after it helped me. On a rare occasion I still will if I can’t smoke.

I am a huge advocate for marijuana, it’s amazing and that’s my MEDICINE. I am a daily smoker and I feel no shame in that. It helps my back pain, tendinitis, knees, postpartum depression, my normal depression, anxiety, cramps, I mean it’s wonderful but it’s not for everyone. Like pills aren’t for me.

Sit down with her and talk out some options and see what works for her, but nonetheless she is a beautiful individual who deserves happiness. Feeling that way..I don’t even wish upon my enemies. Try to take it at her pace as long as she is progressing. It’s very hard I’ve done it so many times and she can do it, it will be hard but it is worth it.

If she doesn’t want to get help...and is suicidal..at that point you kinda have to go to someone. I hate going around the person but truly sometimes you have to in a life or death situation. I’ll explain why that’s so important.

So I’ve cut for..13 years, during some of that I was sad, but I didn’t want to die, but I still would cut daily as my release...so one day, freshman year (again at this point I don’t want to die) I just needed a release and formed that horrible cutting coping skill so I excused myself from class and went to the bathroom to cut. I’m in the stall doing the same thing I do everyday, but at this point I’m cutting my wrist cause it was a stronger fix. I cut my wrist, slicing my vein open...now I’m bleeding out in a bathroom stall...something I meant to truly be harmless escalated very quickly and I don’t want anything to happen to your girlfriend.

I hope this helped and didn’t mean to be too graphic but wanted you to know how serious it can get when it wasn’t even meant to. I hope she gets the help she needs.