Advice

LR Pearson, Arts 99 (lp9616@bristol.ac.uk)
Tue, 14 Dec 1999 17:42:36 +0000 (GMT Standard Time)

This is only slightly connected with Salinger, but I would really value 
some advice.

I live in a big student house where rooms are sectioned off with very 
thin plasterboard. As a result, it is difficult not to know about what 
goes on in other people's lives. There is a girl on my corridor who is 
clearly suffering some kind of emotional distress - I hear her crying 
(really wailing) all night and then the next day she is really cheerful 
seeming. Kind of manic depressive symptoms, I guess, although it is a 
different kind of manic phase than my friend who I know is manic 
depressive. She is on some kind of medication which I assume is for 
this problem. My problem is, that I would feel much better if I could 
speak to her about what is going on. It would mean that I didn't have 
to creep around sort of pretending that nothing is happening, but I 
wouldn't have to intrude when there is a problem (I have offered my 
company before and it is not wanted / needed). But I don't quite know 
if I have any right to know what is going on. Would it be insensitive / 
selfish / patronising to ask. Should I just stay out of it. Should I 
ask? If so, how do I ask?

Sorry to treat the list like a sort of collective agony aunt, but I am 
aware that there are people on the list who have experienced mental 
illness themselves or through others and so might have a better view on 
what to do. I hope this post doesn't offend anyone - I haven't really 
expressed myself very clearly. Sorry!

Thanks,

Lucy-Ruth

----------------------
LR Pearson, Arts 99
lp9616@bristol.ac.uk