should or CAN I apply to colleges FOR my daughter - time is running out and she has given up on life

It sounds to me like you need to recognize that your daughter can still be "wonderful’ even if she has changed a lot from what you see as her past wonderfulness. The sooner you let go of whatever your vision was of how things would turn out, the better- for both you and your daughter. I think that many kids who grow up in a strong faith community go through a stage of questioning and even disturbance in identity. The Amish actually require that young people leave and then choose to return. I think it can be a sign of progress to a more mature stage of development, to stop the “shoulds” of childhood and think for oneself.

However, in the case of your daughter, this transitional stage, which is quite normal, has, for whatever reason, taken a turn toward the pathological- possibly due to the onset of a mental health condition, which often happens at this age. And the “black wall” imagery is concerning. Is she suicidal? There are mental health programs for adolescents specifically, often with placement afterward. Is that kind of thing accessible where you are?

There may very well be medications that could help her. I hope she is seeing a psychiatrist. If SSRI’s don’t work there are other options. It may take awhile.

My own daughter had the car accident one poster described. After a few months in the hospital she did actually apply to schools. Your daughter can too, when she is ready, but it is also fine for her to wait, work, and heal

Stop thinking of your daughter as a failed version of herself. She is herself at this moment, with much potential, but it may take time and some bumps for that to unfurl. Look to her strengths and appreciate her now- and get help for both of you.