important question!! please help?

Question

Okay i have this friend and shes emo. and she brags about it all the time. i hate it. i also no this one person who almost died from cutting to deep. i want my friend to stop cause we r real good friends and have known each other since like grade 1. What do i do

Answer 1

Being a former self-mutilator, this is a tricky one. I had friends tell on me, not knowing I was already seeking help myself, and it really pissed me off that they didn't talk to me about it first. But then again, I didn't brag about my cuts often unless it was someone who admitted to doing it as well. Usually the ones that do brag about it are seeking attention. I don't mean that as a bad thing because maybe it's their way of saying, "Hey, I have a problem and don't know how to ask for help so maybe if you see my scars, you'll help anyway." In this case, I suggest you talk to your friend first. Ask her if she wants help first. If she says no, then ask her why she does it and advise her to get help as soon as possible. If she doesn't, then that's the time to tell someone. But sometimes some people would prefer you to help them get help rather than force them to be helped. Try to get her to seek help herself first. Cause, really, the only way someone can overcome this is if they want to.
When talking to your friend, remember that empathy is more powerful than sympathy. Try to relate to what she is saying. It might be hard to do, but it will help you help her better.

Answer 2

Cutting yourself like that is a mental illness and they need help. I would talk to your parents about it and have your parents talk to their parents. That way you can say that your parents figured it out and tattled to their parents and you didn't do anything so you don't get blamed by your friends yet you help them. Because you are right, they are very good friends and you don't want to wake up one day and they have died because they cut too deep and no one said anything. As a good friend it is your responsibility to them to keep them safe. So get the info to their parents somehow.