According to a low estimate, 10% of teens cut themselves or injure themselves of some kind. Obviously it is not a "phase" or a "trend", it is a tragedy. This article explains some of the warning signs of self-inflicted pain so you can help your child, sibling, or friend.
Steps
Step 1. Look for wounds and / or scars
The most obvious warning sign will be the injuries themselves. Does your child / sibling have wounds or scars that are difficult to explain, especially multiple or multi-stage healing?
Step 2. Look at the clothing she wears
She may wear long sleeves and pants even when it's hot outside. Boys usually wear cuffs, girls many bracelets and concealer.
Step 3. Has your boyfriend apparently become introverted?
Does he act stealthily, does he lead a secluded life? Do you feel you don't know him well anymore? Does he spend less time with you and more alone? These are all signs.
Step 4. Look for symptoms of depression
One of these is to behave depressed, in a "humoral" way and / or to go from normal to angry with a nothing.
Step 5. Observe the child to see if he has stopped participating in normal activities
She may no longer go to the pool, the beach, gym class, or play sports (all of which require little clothing). He may also refuse medical examinations.
Step 6. Are you being bullied or targeted at school?
He may have no friends, be in conflict with some of them, or have new ones.
Step 7. Take a look at the medicine cabinet
.. something is missing? If you suddenly have to stock up on bandages, disinfectants, etc., you have yet another warning sign.
Step 8. Check for sharp objects in strange places
You may find some in the teen's room or on him.
Step 9. Do you have low self-esteem?
He may be dissatisfied with his body: If your child has a decline in his self-esteem, it could be a sign that he is cutting himself.
Step 10. Are you always angry?
Doesn't he like you anymore?
Advice
- Do not get mad. At the moment all he needs is help, not anger.
- Stay calm and support him, even if he tries to slip away.
- Don't just ask them. You would make him suspicious and feel the need to "hide" from you, and the fear of being discovered could lead him to cut himself deeper or more frequently.
- Try to understand because it does, instead of just focusing on the fact that it does.
- If you suspect the teen is cutting or otherwise hurting himself, don't get angry, don't blame him for his problem, and don't make him feel guilty.
- If he doesn't want to talk about it, don't throw in the towel. Keep trying or take him to therapy, he may prefer to talk to someone other than you.
- Mostly: Don't ignore it And help him !
- Do whatever it takes to get him into therapy and give him importance.
Warnings
- You can't force him to quit, no matter how much you want it - he must be the one who wants to quit.
- However, if the teen needs stitches or has lost a lot of blood, Not hesitate to take him to the hospital.
- In most cases, it is counterproductive to confiscate the favorite items with which the teen inflicts the cuts; without it, he could resort to whatever he finds, which in most cases is much more dangerous than letting him use what he already uses.
- Don't focus too much on the wounds themselves or on pity, it will make the behavior worse.
- Don't overreact and don't drag your child to the hospital. Many doctors do not know or do not want to deal with self-punishing, so any treatment could be made worse by the psychological damage it would do.
- Don't hide the problem under the rug: help the boy! Self-inflicting cuts is a dangerous form of addiction that is potentially lethal if left untreated!
- Don't ignore the cuts, because it's like forgiving the attitude behind them, which won't stop him.
