[Rivière]

I think it's great that you want to help support your friend in what definitely seems to be a critical time for them. Even if you're not someone who has ever experienced the same feelings as your friend, the fact that you want to try and understand, and help make them feel better is a great start.

Following on from what Eli has written on depression, it can be quite a crippling experience. There are a number of different causes that trigger a downward spiral into depression. Chemically, as Eli mentioned, as well as a person's current environment, whether it be home, school, or whatever else. Finding out why your friend feels the way they are is a good start in seeing how you can best help them.

If you can, try asking them about the cause of their depression. Not everyone is going to be able to give you an answer, so be prepared for them to say, 'I don't know'. They may genuinely not know or have given much thought to how they feel as they may have simply accepted their current state of mind and that's it.

Do you know if they have a good home environment? Are they ok with their family? Are they eating ok? How is their school life? Do they get on well with others? When you ask these kinds of questions, try and be a little sensitive to the fact they may not be used to them. They can come across as a sort of 'interrogation' even if it's not intended to be. Help them understand that the reason why you're asking these sorts of questions isn't to pry, but so you can understand what they're going through a little better.

I'm unsure which country you're from, but we do have a list of hotlines available here: http://www.teenhelp.org/hotlines/#de...on_and_suicide see if you can pass them on to your friend. Though they may not be willing to use them, the fact they are there may help give them that extra layer of comfort. With that said, don't be afraid to use them yourself on behalf of your friend to get some additional advice and support if you need.