I have a cousin who is 16 yrs old and she cuts herself.. also she suffers from depression.. how can I help??

Answer 1

Talk to her first, if she doesn't want help or threatens to do something talk to your aunt/uncle, she won't get help unless you make the first step, have you rather her be really depressed, or get her the help she needs. She may hate you for a while, but as soon as she recovers you're going to be the one you thank.

Answer 2

i hope this helps: try talking to her. how do you know? how many people know? she needs to see a therapist asap, mainly because they help figure out the root of the problem...and if not that, they help develop more positive coping skills. i doubt that at this point she will cut herself too deep or anyhting like that; however, the longer it continues the more damage is done, and more scarring and if given enough time iwth no help things can get out of control. make that your first goal...getting help. next to that...try reading abotu it and researching it...you will elarn a lot. if you cant go to a therapist because you are too young and no parents know, try buying a book called bodily harm...it should be in the mental health/ self help section of any book store. remember...you cant make her stop...she wants to have to. make sure she gets a teatnus shot, and uses clean blades (or wahtever she uses)...avoid infection and stuff! any more questions.... e-mail me [e-mail]

Answer 3

See depression treatments, at ezy-build *(below) in section 2, and consult a doctor, to eliminate thyroid problems, etc. as possible contributing factors: also seek a referral to a therapist using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy. It is your decision, and yours alone, as to whether to take any antidepressants offered, but, before you do, read section 1, and check medications out at www.drugs.com so you will be on the lookout for side effects, like sexual dysfunction. My strong recommendation, however, is to follow the advice of my doctor, his associate, and also Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP, and Dr. Mercola, as well, at http://www.mercola.com and avoid antidepressants (pages 2V, and 2Z refer, & antidepressant websites: page 2). The reasons why we all share the same view on this are explained in full, as you will find, if you read the whole section. All of their advice, (except prayer, because many people are not religious) I have incorporated into the "core treatments", including others as options, such as herbal remedies, Inositol, or SAMe. If you are diagnosed with clinical (major) depression, antidepressants may be necessary for a while, which will give the treatments time to become effective. The antidepressants themselves need at least several days, or even many weeks to become effective. It's a good idea to taper off them slowly, with medical advice, after several months, say, to a couple of years, at most, because they are only effective in the long term for about 30% of people. Because of this, you would be well advised to begin the treatments immediately, and maintain them. I'd just thank your mental health care provider, and pocket the prescription, trying the treatments for a few months, to see if they are sufficient for you, before considering filling it (unless clinically depressed, and having great difficulty functioning, or suicidal, in which case I'd take them). If the amount of daylight you have been exposed to recently has reduced, perhaps due to the change of seasons, see Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) in section 2, at * http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris and, instead of taking 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily; replace 2 of them with cod liver oil supplements (or a teaspoonful of cod liver oil), for the winter months only! Consider having your doctor test your vitamin D levels. Self harm is addressed in section 16.

Answer 4

I would suggest her parents have her seen by a MD. The cutting is caused by depression & the person is using the cutting to release the emotional pressure she feels. This is serious. She needs counciling & treatment

Answer 5

Are you close to her age? Ask her to talk to you about it. Also, what's her relationship to her parents like? It would be really helpful to get an adult involved, who can help her get professional help. Lots of time people cut themselves because they feel so much emotional pain, that the cutting actually helps "release" the pain. Cutting releases endorphins, which ease pain.

Please get her to seek help, and to talk to her parents - or if the relationship with the parents is really awful, please find an adult who she can talk to and trust.

Let me know how it goes, ok?

Answer 6

Listen to Jerry BO's advice. Your cousin's difficulties should be taken seriously.

Answer 7

u can help by talking to her. when she cuts she is relieving her pain by releasing endorphins. i know how she feels exactly. talk to her and find out why she does it. if it is really bad she should go to the hospital to get a tetnus shot.

Answer 8

if she has not already she neeeeeds to go see a psych dr. this is very important and needs to be addressed asap

Answer 9

Please call with any problem, Anytime:
Girls and Boys Town National Hotline
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Answer 10

Please, try to get her to get some help. There is help out there, she does not have to suffer alone.