Howdy all! Havent been on the boards in several years. Recovered since 2005ish...wondering if any long-timers remember me but have a question totally outside of the "marriage field" and know the experience and concern of the great people here so here goes...

Does anyone have any experience with teens and self-abuse (cutting) I am looking for support and advise and have searched the net and, of course, am overwhelmed with the "info" out there.

I know this is not the forum for it but thought maybe, just maybe, someone here may have some direction...
there is much more to it but I won't go into it just now.

Thanks!

Hi Fraggles,

That's a pretty heavy topic. Are you looking for professional advice, personal experience from those who are and/or have been cutters, or experience from those who have dealt w/ another's cutting?

If you're looking online, I would suggest reputable sites for info first, e.g. WebMD.com (search "cutting").

I would also seek counseling and/or therapy for the individual in question. FYI, though, this is only my personal opinion.

Maybe more people will chime in with more useful advice...

Fraggles, my former step-daughter was a "cutter." At one point, she had a bit of a breakdown and was institutionalized, where she was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Self-mutilation is one of the symptoms of this condition.

BPD is a very difficult condition to treat, as many of those afflicted neither want help, nor do they acknowledge having a problem.

WebMD has an article on self-injury here. According to the site, cutting may be a manifestation of one of the following:

• Personality disorders (particularly borderline personality disorder)
• Bipolar disorder
• Major depression
• Anxiety disorders (particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder)
• Schizophrenia

The bottom line is that you're going to have to get mental health professional help.

Good luck!

We thought she was getting better but found she is still SI'ing. I'm not sure she ever stopped.

She has been diagnosed with depression, has been in therapy but is not responding well. She won't really open up. Says talking makes her feel worse. I told her that sometimes in therapy you feel worse to feel better...its always hard to really start digging into your blocked emotions but it will get better.

Wondering if a residential treatment plan is necessary at his point. Will be talking with her therapist tomorrow.

Just thought someone else here may have been through this with a loved one and had some advice, words, etc.

Thanks for your responses, Mrs. Vanilla and Fred...

Have her medical physician also check her for any eating disorder.
They sometimes go hand in hand.
What do her teeth look like?

One other thing: Doctors will sometimes make a diagnosis of Bipolar and not look further (I'm not saying they're lazy or anything...). Again, I suggest a short read on Shari Schreiber's site here.