Posted by cubic_me on December 21, 2003, at 17:23:47
In reply to My sister is cutting...how do I help?, posted by Lyrical13 on December 21, 2003, at 9:36:29
Hi,
It sounds like you are doing all the right things, you're being a great friend and a great sister. She must trust you so much to be able to tell her.
i've cut since I was about 13, not all the time, but sometimes worse than others. We do get really good at hiding things. I told my boyfriend about it for the first time yesterday - he had no idea, and hes seen me naked for over a year (and my cuts weren't tiny....) It was a good idea you gave her the journal - i find one really helpful - but dont pressure her into writing in it if she doesnt want to. If you keep mentioning the therapy she might decide she wants to go back. With one of my friends who burns herself who didnt want to go back to therapy I basically said that we could go through it together and support each other etc, and that worked.
There are 2 really good websites on self injury that you might want to look at: www.psyke.org and www.secretshame.com
take care _me
> I found out recently that my sister is cutting herself...she showed me her arms..scars all the way up to her shoulders. She's in 9th grade now. Last year she started on meds for anxiety/depression/bipolar...I think they're still trying to figure out exactly what her dx is. I think bipolar. (I've had chronic depression for over 10 yrs and am now realizing that I'm probably Bipolar 2.)So...we do sister night every week...hang out together...we're both on meds and in counseling...though she just told me a week ago that she quit going to counseling. This concerns me. I asked her how long she has been cutting..she said since 6th grade! How did I not see this? She told me that you get really good at hiding it. She has a girlfriend who also cuts. She says she hasn't cut herself in a month..that makes me feel a little better. She also says it's like an addiction. She just gets this urge to cut herself. My therapist gave me an article written by a girl who cuts but is on meds that help her not want to cut as much so she doesn't do it as often. The article says that people who cut themselves often do it because they have difficulty expressing their anger/hurt/frustration etc. or they are in so much emotional pain it's a release or they are in so much pain they can't feel anything and cutting makes them feel something. I gave her a journal so she could try to write some things down. Hopefully that will help some...maybe help vent some of her hurt and frustration or something. What else can I do other than letting her know that I'm here for her and will always listen and always believe her?
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> Another concern..this article said that a high percentage of girls who cut have been sexually abused....I worry that maybe this happened to her and she is afraid to talk about it... maybe because it's someone we know and she doesn't think anyone will believe her? It might not be the case. Any advice? What can I do? I am really worried about her.
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> Lyrical13
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poster:cubic_me
thread:292089
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031221/msgs/292175.html