My friend always digs into her skin w/ a paperclip. Is it self mutilation even though the cuts are small?

Question

She seems to be very depressed and claims that she is not self mutilating. How can I prove to her that this is unhealthy and that she should seek help?

She seems to be very depressed and claims that she is not self mutilating. How can I prove to her that this is unhealthy and that she should seek help? She is 20 and a junior in college. I find her very bight I don't see why she won't seek help.

Answer 1

I applaud you for trying to help your friend. Below are some links that will help you and your friend understand the dynamics of Self-mutilation. I wish you luck in helping your friend and may you be blessed with the wisdom of words to help guide her.

This excerpt from one of the links below clearly defines SIV.
Self-Inflicted Violence: The Basics
Self-Inflicted Violence (SIV) is best described as the intentional harm of one's own body without conscious suicidal intent. Most types of SIV involve cutting of one's own flesh (usually the arms, hands, or legs), burning one's self, interfering with the healing of wounds, excessive nail biting, pulling out one's own hair, hitting or bruising one's self, and intentionally breaking one's own bones. SIV is more common than you might think with roughly 1% of the general population engaging in these behaviors (and this is likely to be greatly underestimated). The explanations for why people intentionally injure themselves are numerous and diverse. However, most of these explanations indicate that SIV is used as a method of coping and tends to make life more tolerable (at least temporarily).

Answer 2

I would say that, yes, she is cutting.

I am 33 years old and I have a history of self-mutilation. I am currently under treatment for depression.

It is very hard to get a depressed person to understand their problem. You cannot see depression until you are out of it. The best thing you can do is be supportive and try your best to understand and not be afraid of her condition.

Can you involve her parent(s) or a school counselor in this?

She needs to seek counseling as soon as possible, because unless she gets help, it will just continue and can get worse.

I was 27 before I got help, before someone actually suggested that I had a problem with depression. Depression is a medical condition. There is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about and you need to help her understand that.

She needs to talk to a professional, someone who is trained to help with this kind of problem.

Answer 3

yes that is self mutilation. depression shows in so many different ways. not any person has to same signs. I suggest get info on self mutilation and depression. Read them with your friend. Also tell your friend how much she means to you. With that you could really help her if you could go in for help. This will give her support that she needs to get through her problems.

Answer 4

with your first question: moral or immoral as touching on faith? Society? Sub-society? man or woman morality? What kind of morality are we speaking about? To my recommendations, self-harm truly has no moral foundation besides to have the capacity to me this question makes no experience. What morals are you going antagonistic to in case you do it? What morals are you upholding in case you do not? i do not get that. i for my section experience that the only morals that count number are someone's' own morals. Society, faith or some thing else shouldn't dictate what you do or what you think. you may want to. in case you experience that that is superb morally, then i wager it isn't any longer immoral. Is it injurious? certain. might want to you do it? No. I personaly imagine self-mutilation accomplishes no longer some thing. I did that sh!t for awhile. slicing... I even went finished-hog and did the burning component. All it gave me turned right into a heavily severe threshold for discomfort and some truly undesirable scars. It would not supply your discomfort a voice. It supplies your discomfort an EXCUSE and once i realized that, i ended. discomfort must be confronted, confronted, excised and released. slicing is superficial launch. it isn't any longer genuine because you've not confronted it at it is source. that is why you may want to keep slicing. because the discomfort remains there. My husbands hands are all scarred as a lot as hell and again. It would not do some thing. it is unnecessary. And certain, people experience extra proper once they shrink. notwithstanding it is because the sensation of "launch" is a trick your recommendations performs. once you're in discomfort or damage, your body releases endorphins that make you experience good and bring about calm and a tremendous recommendations set, pretty a lot like being severe. quite, it isn't any emotional launch in any respect. only a chemical reaction on your mind. as far as a sin... i think it must be interpreted as one, certain. you aren't to any extent further meant to defile the Temple Of The Lord and your body is the Temple Of The Lord. that is why doing drugs is a sin. Piercing, smoking, tattoos... all those issues are sins going by using that dictum.

Answer 5

Yes it is. Any intentional damage done to the body IS self-mutilation. The fact that she seems to be very depressed is even more of a sign.

Talk to her, if you can. If not, get someone else to talk to her. Tell her that no one is mad and no one thinks she's stupid. Get her to talk about herself, and leave the rest to the adults. Believe it or not, parents can handle this sort of thing. :)

Answer 6

Yes it's still mutilation. It's not up to you to prove anything to her, because you probably can't. She won't listen. Tell her parents what is going on.

Answer 7

jeez,is there not enough things out there to think about?...young people (although do have more stressors) also have the world by the short hairs. So mommy and daddy havent spent enough time picking out the newest hair gel, or droping you off at the mall with "their" gold card.

Listen I know this is a real problem. But it is so hard for me to feel bad for someone who is soo weak and sooo wimpy that when they feel bad they immediately turn to something so selfish and self-centered. I mean come on. life, REAL LIFE is hard that is what makes it worth while. all the easy stuff is forgotten. the hard stuff is what forms us. (or at least our reaction to it)
you may not have a correct or proper reaction but at least have one! not one based on how many people notice it. It sounds cheesy but life really IS what you make it! it can suck or it can be awesome. just deal and TRY!! i would help anyone, but someone who expects me too. i owe nothing but my own choices, those I choose to respect, and help i hope are worthy of it, but in my eyes if they tried thats enough for me. aafter all thats all we can do...try and hope that the decisions we make are the ones we would make for our deepest loved ones. (thats how you know they are the right ones) SO STOP CUTTING YOURSELF AND GET OFF IT. no one is looking at the real you if your drawing attention to wounds. and girl....it's gross. wake up the world is out there. make it yours.
sorry just my opinion for what it is worth. good luck to your friend, and professional help is NEVER wrong. the out side people allways see clearer.

Answer 8

definately self mutilation, I would speek with her parents or some family members and all of you should sit down with her and explain to her that you all are worried. It wouldn't hurt to have some sort of counselor sit in on this intervention either.

Answer 9

Have her seek professional help. Even if the cuts are small, there's no healthy reason why she should be doing this.

Answer 10

shes intenitionally cutting herself....im sure thats what self mutilation is