[Daring Scylla]

i literally have no idea what to do at this point BUUUT

honestly i have this friend who has more problems than you can shake a stick at

I normally tend to be cagey and quiet about my problems and those of my friends, like. i don't ask others for help because i think it's beneath me, but this child has so many problems and i am at my wits end of what to do about him/her. this community is good about not being judgemental and giving helpful advice.

first, the child's a real gem. true sweetheart - goes out of her way to be kind and good for her friends and to love them. when she's rational.
she's brilliantly - almost coldly - clever and can solve problems and retain information like no one i've ever met, she's so clever. however, it makes her very cold and logical - almost to the point where she doesn't factor fun into her life.

the point is she has a lot of problems and sends me random messages about how she feels "caged," "like lightning," "electrified," and that she wants to "run and run and run"
I have no idea what to make of this rubbish sometimes and others it worries me greatly because she seems really sick in her mind sometimes. I can tell she's hurting, but she doesn't seem to even realize so sometimes and she never knows quite what is wrong. sometimes i worry that she might be certifiably insane. she refuses to get help, take medicine and every time i start making suggestions on what to do she clams up and stops talking to me for a while. then she comes back and she's got this mask that everything is fine and excellent and nothing's wrong.
I have NO IDEA what to do about or for her. it's like she wants help but part of her doesn't and everything I try to do she pushes away, runs away. i really need some help so I can help her, because i think she's tearing herself apart and she doesn't even know.

[Espy]

I've half a mind to ask how old this kid is, but either way, I fail at giving advice...

[Rinni]

It might be hard, and there might be tension. But confront her, sit her down. Let her know you're there for her. Explain your worries, back it up with observation. Be careful not to be accusatory; put it gently. Explain how worried you are.

If you can get in touch with her parents, her family, or those around her....do so if she won't respond to you. They may not know she's hurting. Give them the chat logs if need be, and explain the situation.

[Daring Scylla]

As for age, the kid is 17, though her maturity level and intelligence are head and shoulders above most adults i know. she's brilliant.
her parents are convinced there's something wrong with her, but all they want to do is dump her with a shrink and throw pills at her. it's rubbish. she refuses to have anything to do with either, and with good reason. her parents try to fit her in a box and it doesn't help matters at all.

when I tell her she's starting to scare me, she tones it down immediately. she finds ways to cleverly change the subject, distract me or others, anything to direct the focus of attention away from herself and her problems. if I tell her parents, a professional (doctor, psychoanalyst, etcetera) she considers it a betrayal and distrusts me. Which she does right now.

i love her but i can't be ruining my life to solve her problems, whatever they may be. but i can't give up on her just yet.

[Oliver8607]

I dont know if it will help but just do your best to let her know that you are there for her no matter what. Be her soft place to land cause it seems like that may be what she needs :)