Hi Lizzy, Firstly I want to say you are an amazing mum! I have never posted or replied to any forums but as I read yours I just cried. I have a 12 year old daughter who has been self harming for just over 12 months and I am so scared for her. She too is seeing a psychologist, who I call at least twice a week as things seem to escalate so quickly each week. I was relieved to hear you say you felt hopeless and lost as I feel this very same way. I also feel so alone. It is just a relief that I am not the only one feeling like this. On advice from my daughters physchologist we have all our knives, scissors and anything with a sharp blade in a locked cupboard, this was so confronting for me and cried uncontrollably making this cupboard. As I found things in her room I too would remove them and another call to her psychologist explaining she was now using something different. I have done so much research into why they self harm and I understand why this cupboard had to be made, not to stop the behaviour but to keep my beautiful daughter safe. Something else that I was told is the more I take away she will look for more things to self harm with so if I take everything the next thing could be worse, let her find a safety pin (I am in no way supporting self harm) and the psychologist will get her through this. I also limit her Internet to 1/2 hour per day, not because I don't trust her but the influences on her from social media and content escalates this behaviour. We have a doctors appointment today to further discuss medication. I feel when we take a step forward the next day we take 10 steps backwards. I am lucky I have a supportive husband but he too is so lost and because he can't "fix" this he shuts down. We also have a younger daughter who is 5, adores her big sister, but my daughter lashes out at her. At this moment I feel things falling apart but I have and am putting my trust and following advice from the professionals who deal with this illness. I also don't understand this and that is where I struggle the most. You are doing an amazing job!! One thing I will never do, no matter how tuff things get is give up on my daughter.
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