*Trigger warning…cutting* How can I help my daughter ?

Question

So I’ve recently discovered my 12 year old daughter is cutting herself. She’s been telling me it was the cat. After asking again and again because I knew in my heart, she told me. How can I help her? What do I say? I’m at a loss. I’ve never dealt with this before. Does it just stop? We had a long talk today and she promised no more. Help I’m so hurt

Answer

I’ve had this issue when I was younger,  Spend as much time with her as possible. Show her alot of love, make her her favorite foods, buy her comfort gifts. Rub her back before she goes to sleep at night, show as much love as possible.  I hope she feels better ❤️❤️

Answer

I used to self harm ( cut) I started around her age and didn’t say anything to my mom until about 14/15. She’s probably experiencing some sort of depression/ anxiety. Unfortunately it doesn’t just stop it does become an addictive, definitely get her into therapy!

Answer

Love and support 🥰 take the extra steps to make sure she knows she's loved, but also support her. I think at this point professional help would be beneficial, but i would stress that you're not mad or upset at her and that you want to help her. Have you asked her how you can help her best?

Answer

She needs to talk to a professional about why she is hurting. People don't cut for no reason and they don't just stop. This is about her and she needs all the support and love you can give her right now.

Answer

I have no advice other than some form of therapy

Answer

Just make sure she is loved and find a good therapist for her. Don't just find a therapist in your area, truly try. Go on the website Psychology today.com and that should help a lot with finding one. Find other ways to help her cope. Like drawing with a red marker or mix red food dye with water and use a paint brush to draw where she wants to self hard. Taking a shot of lemon juice sometimes you shock your system and take away the urge to cut for the time being

Answer

My step daughter was doing this earlier this year. We got her therapy and under the order of the therapist, she isn't allowed to be alone in her room with the door closed. Open door at all times unless changing clothes. We had to go through her whole room and take away anything sharp, and anything she can hurt herself with. We had to remove nail clippers, scissors, pencil sharpeners, pins, tweezers, all hoodie strings, belts, scarves. Had to hide ALL knives ans scissors in the house. Put away ALL medication. She also was threatening suicide when things didn't go her way, so we had to do all of that. She is still watched but she has stopped cutting and therapy has helped a lot. We still have to do random body checks and room checks to check for razors and pencil sharpeners etc.

Answer

Don’t take her to a therapist, not right now. It would betray her trust.
If you still feel like she needs help after some time, or if she harms again, you may have to bring in the extra help. But as someone that SHed from 12-19, therapy won’t do anything. Therapists can’t force you to talk and if I told my parents I was cutting and then ended up in a therapists office the next day, I wouldn’t be able to forgive you. 
I would communicate that to her, too, though. I would make sure she knows she is loved and wanted, but that if she continues to hurt herself, you’re going to have to help her no matter what it takes. Sometimes people just need professional help, and that’s okay, but you’re a good mom and you’ve got this. 🖤
I’m so sorry you’re going through this.

Answer

Therapy! As someone who cuts (last time was March) and struggles with being tempted to cut again. It can be overwhelming and sometimes it’s all you can think of doing. I told my therapist it’s a way to “snap out of it” (my depression) quickly. It’s almost relief but obviously not really. It’s also something I do bc I feel numb. She told me to do TIP to get past it. 
Temperature-get some ice cubes and hold it up to you or just chew on ice cubes. Or take a cold shower. 
Intensive exercise- which I never do but jumping jacks or something like that. 
Pressure- so you squeeze your hands really tight and release or your feet and keep doing that for a while. 
I usually just change the music that I’m listening to to something upbeat. Or I just go out and strike up a convo with someone in the house

Trigger warning…cutting How can I help my daughter ?

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