Tell if Your Teen Is Cutting

A conservative estimate states that 10% of teens cut or otherwise injure themselves. Obviously, this is no "phase" or "trend;" it's a tragedy. This article will explain some of the warning signs of self-injury so you can help your teen.

Steps

  1. Look for a lot of injuries and/or scars. The most obvious warning sign will be the injuries themselves. Does your teen have scars or injuries that aren't easily explained away, especially multiple scars or injuries in various stages of healing?
  2. Watch for the type of clothing they wear. They may wear long sleeves/pants even when it is quite hot out. Men might wear wristbands while girls might use bracelets and/or concealer.
  3. Has your teen become seemingly introspective. Your teen may act withdrawn/secretive. Do you feel like you don't know them as well any more? Are they spending less time with you and more time alone? This is another red flag.
  4. Watch for signs of depression. One sign is acting depressed, "moody," and/or going from normal to angry faster than you can blink.
  5. Observe them to see if they have stopped participating in their normal activities. She/he may avoid going to the pool or beach, gym class, or sports practice (all activities which require less clothing.) They may also refuse to go for physicals, etc.
  6. Are they being picked on or bullied? They may be being bullied, have few or no friends, have conflict with them, or have a set of new friends.
  7. Watch your medical supplies...are they disappearing? If bandages, disinfectant, etc. are disappearing from your medicine cabinet, this is another sign.
  8. Keep an eye out for sharp objects in unusual places. You may find sharp objects in his/her room or on their person.
  9. Do they have low self esteem? They are likely unhappy with themselves and their body- if your teen has experienced a drop in self-esteem, this may be a sign of cutting
  10. Ask yourself, are they mad/sad all the time? Do they not like you anymore?

Tips

  • Don't get mad. At the moment, they really need help, not anger.
  • Stay calm and supportive, even if he/she slips up.
  • If you suspect your teen is cutting or otherwise injuring him/herself, don't get angry with him/her, blame him/her for the problem, or make him/her feel guilty for doing it.
  • Try to understand why she/he does it rather than focusing solely on the fact that he/she does it.
  • Don't just ask them. This will let them know that you suspect it and they will feel the need to "hide" from you, and the fear of being caught may cause them to cut even worse, or more often.
  • Do not give up if she/he won't talk to you about it. Keep trying, or make them get counseling- they may be more open to talking to someone other than you.
  • Above all: Don't ignore it, and get your Help Your Teen Cope With Anxiety!
  • Do whatever it takes to make them go to counseling and/or get it in the first place.
  • After awhile check to see if they keep cutting themselves.
  • If not that's great if they continue keep pressuring them to stop.
  • Try to talk to your child if they become open about it. However, do not force them to be open with you. Likewise, if they are extremely against counseling, do not force it on then unless it is 100% necessary.
  • Do not ask. That can be painful for your child.

Warnings

  • However, if your teen clearly needs stitches or has lost a great deal of blood, do not hesitate to take them to the hospital.
  • In most cases, it's counterproductive to confiscate your teen's preferred "tools" for self-injury; if he or she does not have his or her preferred implement, it's likely he/she will resort to whatever is lying around, which is actually, in most cases, more dangerous than simply letting them use whatever they normally do.
  • You cannot make your teen stop, no matter how much you might want to- he/she has to want to.
  • Do not focus too much attention on the injuries themselves or excessively pity your teen; this may increase the behavior.
  • Don't overreact, or drag your teen to the hospital. Many people in the medical field either do not know how or do not want to deal with people who self-injure, and thus, whatever treatment he/she might receive might be outweighed by the psychological damage doing this could cause.
  • But do not ignore cutting, because that's like tacitly condoning the behavior, which will not make them stop
  • Don't sweep the problem under the rug, get your teen help! Self-injury in any form is a dangerous addiction that has the potential to be lethal if left untreated!

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