When feelings of anger and depression become overwhelming, some teens may carve, scratch, or cut on their wrists, arms or other parts of the body. It seems irrational to others, but when people are depressed, it can seem like a way to let out the tension or pain.

Self-injury often happens when the person is feeling hopeless about the future and may be having suicidal thoughts.

• Do I Have A Self-Injury (Cutting) Problem?
• Get Help
• Helping a Friend

Do I Have A Self-Injury (Cutting) Problem?

Self-injury is a behavior people rely on to relieve difficult feelings, or to communicate emotions that they seem unable to speak. However, if you can learn to express yourself in other ways — verbally or in writing — the impulse to harm yourself will subside. The unpleasant feelings may not go away, but your coping mechanism becomes a healthy one.

The first step in stopping this behavior is to acknowledge that you have a problem, and you are not alone. Self-injury is a choice and you can choose to not injure yourself. I am not saying it will be easy — in fact, people say it is harder to stop than cigarette smoking. The important thing to remember is that you can do it, with help! It will take work, but you can live without self-injury.

To help you decide if you have a problem, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you cut or burn your skin habitually?
  
• Do you feel compulsively drawn to cut, pierce, or burn your skin?
  
• Do you get "high" from the way the activity feels physically?
  
• Does the behavior consume your thoughts or interfere with your ability to function normally?
  
• Realistically, could you stop the behavior today if you wanted to?
  
• Do you use cutting, burning, piercing, compulsively exercising, or any other self-injurious behavior as your primary method of releasing internal tension or distress?
  
• Is your self-injuring behavior "ritualized," meaning it must be done in a certain way, and more frequently?
  
• If you do not self-injure do you panic, get disorganized, or distressed?

"Yes" answers to any or all of these questions suggest that you should get help, and the earlier the better. Please call S.A.F.E. Alternatives at the number on the right (1-800-Don’t Cut) or visit their web site. They have a great book you can order called Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough Healing Program for Self-Injurers as well. -- By Nancy Brown, Ph.D
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Get Help

Self-injury and self-mutilation are not appropriate coping behaviors. It is important to get help from a health care professional as soon as possible.

Sometimes self-injury is a way of asking for help so that others know how much you are hurting. Other people may not notice, especially if you hide the evidence with long sleeves or tights. Remember that deeper cuts can result in permanent damage and leave lasting scars.

It is important to find other ways to relieve the pain and learn how to talk about it.

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Helping a Friend

If you think a friend or loved one may be upset and hurting themselves, you can help (but not force) that person to find ways to deal with his or her emotions.

• In a gentle, caring way express your concern that he or she may be harming himself or herself.
  
• Explain that you may not understand all that is going on, but you know as a friend, you cannot just stand by and watch it happen without encouraging him or her to get help.
  
• Have him or her agree to talk to a school counselor, teacher, family doctor or trusted adult he or she can confide in.
  
• Offer to go along with the friend and help him or her talk to the adult.
  
• If he or she refuses to get help, then you need to talk to a trusted adult about what you can do to help.

This is never easy, but you are doing the right thing by getting your friend help and keeping him or her safe. Do not keep this information to yourself. If he or she will not get help, tell someone who has the training to help (such as a school counselor).
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