self harm,suicude,anxiety. (for ages 13-19) Community Group

its always better to have someone who knows exactly what your going through to talk to.

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/ self harm,suicude,anxiety. (for ages 13-19) Support Group

Helping a teen who cuts

HelpMeeeeeee
HelpMeeeeeee

Please help, I am mentoring a teen who is self-harming by cutting. She is going to counseling, she doesn't want to cut but feels it's the only way to relieve stress and to be able to control the dysfunction in her home. Her mom knows about it no she's in counseling, it has been expressed to the mom that the daughter needs her mom more emotionally. It has also been expressed that she feels as if she is not a priority to her mom and that her mom is putting a dysfunctional relationship that she has before her daughter. I have continuously talk to the mom and she seems to either be in denial or wants to act as if it's not happening or doesn't know what to do. She's not asking how to help her daughter, she's not trying to read books, she's not involved in her daughter's counseling, she seems to be going out even more and not responding to her daughter and her daughter is just crying out for help. I am scared for the daughter and if I do not do anything what if this gets worse, what if something major happens and I didn't do anything to stop it. Being the mother isn't trying to be involved in helping the daughter to not cut do I report her, would that be worse for the daughter? I'm not sure which way to turn. My heart is breaking and I can't be there for the daughter every moment like her parents should be please help what do I do

brokensmile
brokensmile
It sounds to me like the girl really hasn't had much of a parental figure in her life. Right now I think she is relying on cutting because it brings on this numb feeling and it is an addiction. People say it's just one but one turns to 10 really quick. She just needs someone to be there for her. The counseling is good but, sometimes it does take a little bit more. If you really are wanting to help, try having her talk about it. Bring it up and ask questions, eventually most people reveal a "trigger" of some sort. A parent can be helpful but if the parent is either not allowing the daughter to speak of what is going on then there is the feeling of being alone which can be a major trigger for people who cut. Try giving her ideas on things to do instead of cutting. I've found that writing or derawing what I feel helps me to stay clean. If she isn't into writing or drawing find some inspiring quote coloring pages off the internet and spend time coloring them. Sometimes providing something as a distraction can be useful. If she likes painting her nails ask her to try and paint them every other week or when the polish starts coming off. Make it a new color every week. Instead of making her stop help her find a way to stop.