How can i tell someone i self-harm?

Question

i've been cutting myself for about six months now and i want 2 get help cos i've got other problems too, like the fact that i'm extremely shy and have no friends. and i had many nasty experiences in childhood involving my alcoholic father (who i dont see anymore)

basically i just really need 2 talk 2 someone cos ive never told anyone any of this. i cant tell my mum (she wouldnt understand), or anyone my own age (theyd call me emo) so i want 2 tell my guidance teacher at school. problem is, i dont know how 2 tell her.

has anyone done this themselves and can give advice, or can just give me an idea of what 2 say?

Answer 1

hiya

its a huge step realising you need help and well done. its the first stage. you could talk to a doctor or ur school guidance teacher. just be honest. i know its hard how to put it to people but just start with - i really need someone to talk to about some recent problems. and when they ask what if u cant say that u self harm then show them ur marks and they will be able to take the lead from there. there is a fantastic website for self harmers which i myself have used http://www.recoveryourlife.com/
there are people here who u will be able to talk to and ask about how they got help etc.
it maybe worth talking to ur mum aswell. she can be there to support you and u never know - she may understand totally. im sure she would want to know and would be gutted if u didnt turn to her for help. but at same time i can understand why u wouldnt be so keen to tell her
whatever u decide i wish u the best of luck! take care

Answer 2

Hi..
First off, the cutting behavior is much more common than people think, so you are not alone in this. There are as many reasons people do this self-destructive type behavior as there are people who do it. You have taken big step already to realize you need help. Good for you!
This is the sort of thing you cannot tell just anybody. Relatives and chums are the worst, even parents, who will most likely freak out and make your life even more miserable, because you will SCARE them! Immediate panic mode. Here's what to do:
Look in the telephone book for a community mental health organization near you and make an appointment to see a counselor, These people a TRAINED in the mental health field, and know what to do to help you. It IS a leap of faith, but you will be rewarded for your courage. If you feel you need help RIGHT NOW, call a local or national suicide hotline, even if you are not suicidal, because they will give you top priority to get help ASAP.
There IS hope, you have your whole life ahead of you. Don't let a problem like this prevent you from enjoying it!! Best of luck...a once and future 'crazy person'. ( rapid cycling Bi-polar ). Don't worry, after a while you will get to know the 'language' of mental health.

Answer 3

Sit down with your guidance teacher and tell her how you've been feeling. Explain to her that you came to her hoping for some help. Then, tell her you've been cutting and explain to her WHY you cut. Maybe you and her can come up with some better ideas to ease away from the cutting. Find a way to redirect your mind when the urge hits. You say your mom wouldn't understand---but you may be surprised. Some of us moms have been through exactly what you're talking about. ☺

Here are some links that have helped me in the past. You can check them out and maybe direct your guidance teacher and mother to these links as well. Sometimes people have to educate themselves on this before they can help a person. Good luck!
http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/injury.html
http://www.focusas.com/SelfInjury.html
http://www.coolnurse.com/self-injury.htm
http://www.self-injury.net/

Answer 4

hey sounds like you just told all us. that's probably a good start.

um i'm 24 yro. i cut back when i was 17 and about 4 months ago started again. it was never as bad as it is currently. i've become very obsessive-compulsive about it and i'm running out of skin to hide. i've been in counseling for almost a year. i've always told my therapist everything. so i told her when i was thinking about cutting again and i told her the disappointing news when i actually went through w/it again. she looks at my cuts every week. i've told 2 friends. i don't think they understand. no one has seen my work except my therapist. i'm a mess.

it definitly sounds like you could benefit from counseling. the longer it goes on, the worse it is. if you are into reading, i read a memoir by a "cutter" a couple months back and my therapist is actually reading it right now. it's called Bloodletting by Victoria Leatham. i got it off www.bn.com i just thought it was a really good book and the chic was young and relatable.

i always find writing is easier than conversing. so if you don't feel strong enough telling an adult face-to-face, work it out on paper. i think you should tell your mom first. the school would be obligated under the law to inform your mom i think, so she'd probably appreciate you talking to her first and then hopefully she'd be very concerned/understanding and get you the help you need.

i wish i could give you some awesome encouragement or something positive. i think it's really good you decided to reach out on here today and get some advice.

i wish you well. take care of yourself.

Answer 5

Ok first of all you just told us. You admit to having a problem, and you know where at least the problem started.
Start telling your guidance teacher about your father, i.e. start at the bottom, the rest will be easy, it's just breaking the ice that is difficult.
She will try and help you and perhaps send you to a psychologist. If you don't feel easy about talking to her because she makes you uneasy you could find a psychologist directly, but one thing is for sure - your well on your way and you're not on your own - just look at all the people who have already answered your question!!! Best of luck!!!

Answer 6

Sit down right now and write a letter to your guidance counselor telling her the same things you told us. Each teacher has a mail box in the front office of the school ask them to put it in her mail box. Be sure to sign it. She will get it and read it then she will be in contact with you. Be sure to tell her if you do not want her to tell other people like your mom or not. Guidance counselors have a confidentiality thing going on just like doctors and pshychiatrists. You are a very valuable person in this world and you need to find the real person who is hiding within. This is the first step and it is a big one, but you can do it, go for it!

Answer 7

well you could start by saying you have a problem and you need help. And its good you realize the problem and know you need to fix it. That is the first step, my friend. Then sit down and tell your counselor what has been going on....all of it. Then your counselor should be able to direct you in the right place. (ps. I know how much your hurting and if you ever need to talk, click on my picture and contact me ok!)

Answer 8

Hunny I aplaud you high, because you did your first step by telling your feelings here in Yahoo answers. I know is not easy. but I can tell you that your mind is the most powerful thing that you can ever own.

Hunny, everything began with Power of The Mind. For those of you who have not heard of Napoleon Hill he was one of the early teachers of the power of the mind. The basic principle is that whatever your mind can imagine it can create. How does it do this? What your mind thinks, sees, believes, feels is all sent to your subconscious mind power. it's great partner. Your Subconscious then works with the universe and creates your reality based on the messages that began in your mind. But its not enough to simply imagine it and then hope it happens. That's not the way it works. If you can imagine it you can achieve it but you need to know how to use the power of your mind. Your mind can create wonderful things for you if you know how to use it and how to send the right messages to your subconscious. Most people don't know how to do this. Instead, you go through life never really using the power of your mind.

Did you know that doctors now firmly believe that 75% of all sickness and disease start in the mind? 75-Percent! That's a very large amount. That means that 75% of all the people who are sick today -- are only sick because they did not know how to use their mind. Doctors will even tell you that most sickness and disease are caused by stress. This is another event that starts in the mind. Scientists have long said that we only use 10% of our mind. 10-percent that's it. Think of going through life only spending 10-percent of your salary? Could you do it? No! Yet you go through life only using 10% of your mind. That 10-percent is creating 75% of all sickness because we don't even know how to use it properly. Now imagine if you just used 10% of our mind correctly? What would happen? What would happen if we learned to use 90% of our mind correctly? The results would be astounding! Your mind is an incredible power but no one ever taught you how to use this power. Throughout your entire life you've been taught how to do everything but no one ever taught you how to use your mind. Creating Power teaches you how to use your the power of your mind. I'm not saying that if you work with the Creating Power System you'll start using all of your mind correctly. But I do know that you'll begin using the power of your mind to its full potential and that is enough to create the change you want. Would you drive a car if you didn't know how to drive? No. You would have someone teach you. Why then would you try to use the power of your mind when you don't know how? Yet you do it everyday and you get the results that you don't want. If you want to change your life. If you want to use your mind correctly and utilize all its power then you need the Creating Power System. And it's completely Guaranteed!

I was with a severe depression for 10 years. Partial schizophrenia, Bipolar, living with pain...Taking 7 types of different anti-depression medication, Pain killers, sometimes more. No to mention Hospitalized many times for attempts of suicide. Expensive medication that I coudn't afford... Till I read not one of the Best books, but one of the greatest books I have ever read.

What ever happenned in your past, you can reverse your mind to the past and find the answer of your own question. When you start feeling the effects of the power. You will find strength enough to act they way that you want. You will find the strength to tell. If you don't tell? How you can get help? How people will know?

I know you can do it, because I did it.

Remember... Creating Power System, Create Power.

Best.

Answer 9

Just be honest!!!! They are there to help you. They will NOT judge you, and (if you request it) they will keep it confidential. You have already taken the first step in wanting to stop this and seek help.

No matter how embarassed you might feel, have courage and speak the truth. You will NOT regret it!!!!

Answer 10

am very sorry to hear that friend, but it's not a solution, believe me, when i had my problems time i used to punch doors till they break and have my hand bleeding for days... but trust me, it ain't rite, and it makes you feel nothing better but for the moment...

I've seen this answer above mine telling you to cut the parts which are not seen, COME ON, is that an advice....for God's sake....

just go to your counselor at school, and tell her slowly, as you feel more comfortable, go on for more, else, better not tell her...and try to find a teacher whom you feel more comfortable too...

it's none of my bis. to ask, but please, am requesting you to stop all that, coz there will be a time that you will regret it, and will find peace to all of your misery...:)

and remember there are so many other people who are having worse problems than yours, but still they have the guts to face, and wait for it to vanish...BY TRYING TO DO THE RITE THING...

:) take care of your self dude......