My best friend, lets call her Sarah, moved to my town when we were in 6th grade. The first day of school, I walked up to her and said hey want to hang out? And we've been friends ever since. Today, we are both 26. Sarah moved here after the traumatic experience of losing her father to suicide. Throughout her entire life, she has struggled with PTSD, bi-polar disorder, and eating disorders. As a friend, I have always made myself available for her. When we were younger, I didn't understand what it meant for someone to have bi-polar disorder. She would frequently have manic episodes where she wanted to hang out with EVERYONE, and then not talk to anyone she asked to hang out with, and disappear for what seemed like days. I coudln't wrap my mind around the fact that she had a mental health issue, and nobody else could either. She was very private, and would constantly make jokes about herself being stupid or mental or crazy. We only in middle/high school, so no one at the time really understood. Sarah met her boyfriend in high school. Lets call him Matt. Sarah and Matt spent every second together. They eventually graduated and finished high school, and got an apartment together, where they live today. They have two children, one is 3, and the other was just born a few weeks ago. Sarah and Matt are not a good couple together. They fight, they argue, there is a lot of mental abuse that goes both ways in the relationship. Because of the bi-polar, Sarah can be very loud, explosive, and irrational at times. Matt is a very angry person. So when they butt heads, it never ends well. And there is never any constructive rebuilding of the relationship after the fight. They never make up, they just ignore each other for days until one person says something to the other. And they moved on like nothing happened. It's not healthy. They do not love each other anymore. Matt works, Sarah does not. Sarah has tried, but really struggles to keep up with a job.

So, that's her backstory. Recently, she just gave birth to her second child (a surprise to all of us, and herself I believe). She is deeply struggling with postpartum depression. Her 3 year old son is very high maintenance, high energy- something that Sarah is not.

I think she's really overwhelmed by the lack of love and compassion shes receiving from her partner, she's not connecting with the new baby because of how high maintenance her 3 year old is, and she feels stuck in a relationship that she can't get out of. She doesn't have parents to go home to. She has the kids. She constantly apologizes to me for being a bad friend- and I have to reassure her every time she has nothing to apologize for. I always tell her that her mental health and happiness comes first before other people, always. I will always be here as a friend, but I come second.

She sent me a text this morning at 6am that said "I greatly appreciate you. I hope you know that...I just feel like i'm getting worse and if someday i'm not here anymore make sure everyone remembers the fun me." And i'm terrified. I don't want her to go. I don't want her to leave. How do I help her? What do I do?