Hey EC! It's been a while, but I need your help... I'm 99% sure that one of my very close friends has been cutting herself. I've wondered at various times before, but I've never had anything more than a hunch. But in the past week her homophobic mom found her copy of Same Sex in the City (she's a closeted bisexual) and a bunch of other things have gone really wrong in her life and she has cuts on her arm that really can't be explained by anything else that she tries to hide with bracelets. I'm not sure what to do. The thing is, I have cut myself on and off for the past two years and I know that if the roles were reversed I would want her to do nothing because I know that the only way someone is ever really going to stop is when she legitimately wants to herself. But I guess it just seems like more of a problem when it's someone else and I really want to help her, I'm just not sure how.
Have you actually seen the cuts? Whether you have or not, there are numbers you can call that others on here might know. From what I have heard, self-harm is a problem needing professional help. Support her all you can, don't let her push you away, get help. Are you still cutting yourself?
Yes, and she essentially drunkenly admitted to me what they were from Yes, but I don't think (at this point) it's that serious. The thing is I'm not sure if I should confront her about it or not. Like on one hand she's my best friend and I feel like I owe it to her to try to help, but at the same time it might not be my place and confronting her could be totally unproductive or even make it worse. Irrelevant, but I haven't cut in several months.
Hmm. Let her know that you are there to listen if she wants to talk. Self harm is sometimes (if not most of the time) a cry for help or a way to ease emotional pain, if not both. Coming from someone else who cuts, I have a friend who at one point was always trying to tell me I had to go see my doctor and get help, pretty much every day. That pissed me off and made me cut more, because I just at that point needed someone to listen and support me, and eventually go to my doctor. I do not reccomend being that nagging, but do reccomend that you talk to her and let her know that there are people that can help her. Also, talking to either her parent(s) or somebody you trust at school like a counselor or teacher to let them know what's going on can also help. Sorry that it's a little long and rambly, but it's getting kind of late here.
