Tips for Parents & Educators on Cutting / Self-mutilation

Self-Mutilation, often called cutting, is the practice of intentionally cutting or scratching yourself with a sharp object and breaking the skin to cause bleeding. People who cut say the pain of this self-injury gives them relief from terrible feelings they experience. However, it doesn’t help them in the long run. They are left with scars and the same problems they had at the onset.

Topics

Why Do People Cut?

It can be difficult to understand why anyone would want to hurt themselves to feel better. When a teen is dealing with tough emotional issues from school, home or their friends, they may feel they have no way to solve their problems. Cutting gives them a sense of control when they feel they have none. In addition, some people who cut say that the pain of the cuts themselves lets them feel something other than the negative feelings in which they feel trapped.

People who do this may also have other mental health issues. Self-mutilation is often associated with depression, but it may also be a sign of mental health problems that cause people to have trouble controlling their impulses, take unnecessary risks or even struggle with drug or alcohol abuse.

If you think your teen is having trouble coping, here are some good strategies:

  • Talk it out! Communication can be the key to helping your teen through a hard time.
  • Encourage them to exercise. It can help to put problems in perspective.
  • Consider seeking the help of a mental health professional.

What Can Cutting Do to People?

Although most people who self-injure do not wish to seriously harm themselves, sometimes they can cut too deep. If they do, they may get an infection, need stitches or even end up in the hospital. If your teen uses injuring themselves as a means of coping, it can become a compulsive behavior. The more often they do it, the more they feel they need to do it to feel better.

Getting Help

First and foremost, talk to your kids about the troubles they are facing. Feelings of isolation and despair only encourage negative coping behavior, like cutting. If they feel they can confide in you, this will provide an important outlet for their emotions.

If your child comes to you and tells you they are cutting, it’s important to remind them that you love them and want to help them. A mental health professional can help your child identify the underlying triggers for their behavior and together you can work to find ways to avoid those triggers.