|
How to get rid of my cutting obsession
I have been cutting for two years. I am fourteen years old. I started when my parents decided to announce that they were getting a divorce. I started and hid it from everyone else for the longest time. I would always wear long sleeved shirts to cover my arms and i'd wear gauntlets to cover my wrists and hands. then, to top it all off, my father was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis. MS is a neurologic disease that makes it harder to move. My dad has always had numbness in his legs but he didn't think it was anything. I've also been fighting with my dad on a weekly basis. we try to work it out, but i've been having to run away from it. I would just end up going over to my mom's house and locking all the doors so he couldn't get in. I was, frankly, rather scared of my dad at that point. I was afraid he would lose his temper all of a sudden and decide to kick me out or abuse me. I dont know what to do anymore. please don't suggest therapy. I have two therapists on call and neither of them are what I thought they'd be and they haven't been helping. maybe you will have better advice.
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Health & Fitness category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Injuries?
I am old enough to be your grandfather and I believe in giving strait answer to the questions I choose to answer on this website. The following is the best advice I have for you based on personal knowledge or research I have done done your question.
Your cutting of yourself is an outward expression of a form of depression which requires medical intervention by a trained clinician; preferably a psychiatrist and followed with talk therapy by a properly trained therapist.
When it comes to therapists you may have to go through a few before finding one you feel comfortable with. Your statement;"I have two therapists on call and neither of them are what I thought they'd be," tells me you are not comfortable talking with them.
Being 14 I'm betting these therapists are way older than you and possibly male. Suggestion: Try and find a Therapist closer to your own age. This would be a therapist who may just be starting to practice. Also ask for a female therapist. I feel you will be more comfortable talking to a young female therapist than someone who looks old enough to be your parent.
You also need to seen by a psychiatrist for medication to help you through this period in your life. Teenage depression is very common. In the past teenage depression was looked as a "phase" or "something they will grow out of." It is only been in the last decade or so that teenage depression has been properly diagnosed. You would be surprised at how many people actually suffer from depression, not just teenagers and how many people go undiagnosed.
Just looking at what you have written you have every reason to suffer from depression. Not only do you have all the pressures of puberty to come to grips with. You have the added pressure of your parents divorce and dads' MS problem.
Start by seeing your family doctor for initial screening, take the letter you wrote us with you and show the doctor. Your doctor should then refer you to a psychiatrist for further treatment.
Will power alone will not stop you from cutting yourself, you need medical intervention. So please see your doctor asap.
]
i agree with the other person. you need to tell someone. you probably don't want to, but its best for you.
also, to add to the other person's advice.. you NEED TO WANT TO STOP. you have to be seriously committed to stopping. none of the BS like- i want to stop cutting but then again i want to. no no no. none of that. you need to be 120 percent comittted to stopping. make a written promise to yourself that this is it, you're gonna stop right now. no more. cutting doesn't solve your problems. yes i know it might "feel good and relieve pain" but so does boxing. so does art therapy or playing music. I dont get why you would hurt yourself for something that you didn't do. its not your fault your parents got divorced. its not your fault that your dad has MS. so why are you hurting yourself?? I dont mean to put you down, but i'm just saying that you have to understand that by cutting, it wont solve your problems. neither is running away. you need to FIX your problems, instead of trying to cover them up.
so yes, talk to a psychiatrist or school counselor. they will know more advice than anyone on this website. they have the power to help you. we can only give you advice. only you and a psychiatrist or counselor have the power to help.
also, i think you need to do something that makes you happy. here do this- one day when you're bored and have nothing to do. set aside time and make a long list of EVERYTHING that makes you happy. name things even if you're unsure about them. puppys, music, food, cooking, chocolate, biking, sports, friends, laughing, road trips, reading, painting, coloring, video games.. then after you've written everything down, go one by one and do them. if you don't have time, make time! instead of cutting, do those things that actually make you happy.
don't expect to see results right away though. it takes time, patience, and commitment. my mother always told me, you can do whatever you want if you just put your mind to do and be committed.
inbox me for more questions if you need to.
]
Therapists don't have degrees and should not be giving you advice over something medical much less mental health related like this.
You need a psychiatrist and believe me there's nothing wrong with seeing one or admitting it. Your problem is mental health related and may be part of an illness you don't know you have and can be treated. Get help there as it's probably medication plus monitoring from them that you need.
Tell them and your teachers, principal or other trusted adult what you dad has been doing to you and let them deal with a solution for you as this is an issue bigger than you can solve.
If there's a custody agreement and your mother has a good lawyer she can go to a judge who will deal with what your father is doing and put stiff penalties in place or limit and or block him interacting with you.
But yes you need a mental health professional and not some therapist without experience to handle your case giving BS advice when medical is what you must pursue for any hope of stopping cutting.
]
More Questions: |