I have a beautiful teen who, I have discovered recently, has been self harming herself over the last 12 months or so and it seems to be increasing. The first few times I didn't know about because the area is covered by clothes but over the last couple of months the self harm has been visible and yesterday we had to go the emergency department to have them treated. She has a great GP, is on medication for anxiety/depression, had been seeing a psychologist but needs to find a new one and also spoke to the MH crisis team but I just don't know how to stop this from happening. I understand it is a release of intense emotional pain and a way to try to manage that and she has been given strategies to try to avoid self harm by using other ways of trying to deal with the intense emotions but she has chosen to self harm instead. She asks me to not refer to it by the method of self harm because it sounds too confronting, and wants me to say 'self harm' instead, but it is confronting and I want her to realise the gravity of it and not soften it by just saying 'self harm'. I hate that she is scarring her body like this and I worry that people will judge or misinterpret her, and I know they will and I can't protect her from that. I also worry that she will regret self harming and causing scarring and this will lead to even more upset. I took away all implements that could cause harm but she found something in my drawer. I wish I could get her to stop because the scars are forever. It's very upsetting to know that she is in that much distress that she feels the need to self harm, and we are working on the emotional side of it but I just wish she could find another non-permanent release in the meantime. She is very loved by family, friends, her beautiful boyfriend, she's mature and intelligent and we are very close so it makes it harder to understand and know what to do. I really feel that she will come through this and be ok regarding managing the depression and anxiety, we will get her any treatment that she needs, but in the meantime I want the self harm to stop because it's going to be there forever.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Or if anyone can relate/share their experience I'd appreciate that.
Thanks
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