I know a person cutting themselves.?

Question

He is a male of course, and he has been cutting his arms with a razorblade. What should I do to help him, or let him continue?

Answer 1

You can ask him to stop, you can even beg him to stop, or you can ask or beg him to get professional help. What you cannot do it physically restrain him from slashing himself. You would only make him all the more determined in defiance of your effort to control him.

In my opinion, people who slash themselves do so because they are in control of that behavior, and feel out of control of all other behavior. I believe the same is often, if not usually, true of all sorts of self-destructive behaviors. When confronted, most of them say things like "well, I needed to feel SOMETHING," I felt so numb, etc.

The other thing is more occult: a "recommendation" of Aleister Crowley's which many people do not realize was probably not meant to be taken seriously. It is part of the danger of dabbling in the magical arts without real comprehension.

Can you talk to your friend about why he is doing this? Can you extract a promise he won't do it again TODAY, which will buy you some time to talk it out with him, see if you can't find something less self-destructive he can do to cope with the emotional hurts he is feeling. Or with the numbness which holds the hurt at bay.

I am not in the habit of suggesting people see professional shrinks and social workers and the like, but there may be a point to it with your friend. Perhaps you could volunteer to go with him the first meeting with a therapist, so he doesn't feel he is simply handing control of his life over to the professional. Help him evaluate whether or not the therapist is any good.

Answer 2

Encourage him to seek counselling. This is a symptom of a problem, possibly of depression or another mental illness-you have to treat the underlying problem, not just this symptom.
Try not to make a big deal of it. I know that's hard, but it can only make it worse-by making him feel guilty or anxious about it.

There's a great website at self-harm.net.

(You say he is a male "of course", but this isn't limited to men by any means. Women self-injure just as often, and possibly more often, since men are more likely to turn their negative emotions on others.)

Answer 3

its no longer interest, i know that for a actuality, i used to cut back myself, yet no ones ever found out, im the only on who knows. its the soreness of life, i had alot of problems in life nonetheless do, its a launch, you could by no skill relaise what its like untill you do it and sense how i felt for your self. its a gloomy place you need to be to cut back your self. unfortuantly for some that place is with them for all times. soreness to do away with the psychological soreness, actual soreness isn't something comapred to the soreness your concepts can produce mentally, ita a short-term distraction from the reality this is life. yet of corse, its no longer hassle-free to describe and you will consistently get the few people will in basic terms seek for interest

Answer 4

I'm not a doctor, but most people that do this type of thing are trying to get attention, and/or that's their way of asking for help. If he's an adult, tell him to he seek counseling.

Answer 5

ok i used to do the same thing, ok first he is tring to hurt him self because something he did or happend to him he is still trying to figure it out and he is confussed and it taking it out on his body. or he is wanting addention and u need to tell him that ur his friend that that u can help him, and keep tring till he lets u help him. and how old is he and if he is under 18 and is with his parents i would not tell them because that could just make things worse. just try to help him through it, if u need more help email me at [e-mail]

Answer 6

YOU MUST CALL & MAKE A "MENTAL HYGENE ARREST".ALL THAT MEANS IS THAT THEY COME & PICK THE PERSON UP & GIVE THEM AN EVALUATION & GIVE THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED,,LIKE MEDS & A COUNCILOR. YOU CAN DO THIS ANNONAMOUSLY. THEY WILL MOST LIKELY RELEASE THIS PERSON THE SAME DAY WITH FOLLOW UP CARE.YOUR FRIEND WILL BE WELL ON HIS WAY TO RECOVERY AS SOON AS YOU MAKE THAT CALL.

Answer 7

Seek psychological help for your friend

Answer 8

Wait untill he gets to his neck, then there may be something you can do. help him.