To the reader:
It is very undertandable what you are going through, I go through it constantly too. And no one can really stop me becaue I am part of the "emo" group, the people who are...
Self-injuryOriginally Published: December 19, 1997 - Last Updated / Reviewed On: July 31, 2009 |
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Dear Alice,
Like the person who wanted help for their friend who is a self-mutilator, I also have sought help. I have not found any support groups for that though. It is like an addiction, but one can't locate help like you can for example "A.A." How do self-mutilators find a support group if in fact any exist? I am in a PHP (Partial Hospital) for grief issues, and yes past sexual abuse issues. I also have a therapist, but nobody here really can answer. Can S.A.F.E. help?
FLA
Dear FLA,
Alice supports you as you deal with your grief and sexual abuse issues. You also have been reaching out for help with your self-mutilation, also known as self-injury, self-harm, or self- abuse. Self-injurious behaviors can be symptoms of other issues, such as past emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse (as in your case). It's good to deal with these issues first in order to help you recover from self-injury.
In your question, you mention S.A.F.E. Alice assumes you are referring to the Self-Abuse Finally Ends Alternatives Program located at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois. S.A.F.E. offers a variety of services for people who self-injure, including group and individual therapy, in- and out-patient treatment, and a partial, or day, hospital. S.A.F.E. also provides education and support for people who self-injure. In particular, you may be interested in their therapy groups. At the present time, S.A.F.E. may be the only center in the U.S. to offer therapy groups dealing specifically with self-injury. Even if you are not located near them, you can contact their information line at (800)-DON'T-CUT / -366-8288. You can also check out the S.A.F.E. website for more information about the S.A.F.E. Alternatives Program, which is in the process of branching out nationwide.
At the present time, few self-injury specific support groups exist. According to S.A.F.E., since the structure and philosophy of many of these groups may end up doing more harm than good for self-injurers, S.A.F.E. recommends that support groups be attended, if at all, after going through an intensive inpatient and/or day treatment program that addresses the self-injury.
In addition to S.A.F.E., you may also find the following resources helpful:
- Bodily Harm
- by Karen Conterio and Wendy Lader
- Women Who Hurt Themselves: A Book of Hope and Understanding
- by Dusty Miller
- Self-Mutilation: Theory, Research, and Treatment
- by Barent W. Walsh and Paul M. Rosen
- Self-Mutilation and Body Modification in Culture and Psychiatry
- by Armando R. Favazza
- "Cutting: The Thin Red Line"
- by Jennifer Egan
- in The New York Times Magazine
- July 27, 1997
- in The New York Times Magazine
- The Luckiest Girl in the World and Cutting: Understanding and Overcoming Self-Mutilation
- both books by Steven Levenkron
- The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
- by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis
S.A.F.E. and these other resources provide information, suggestions, insight, and/or resources that may be useful to you.
For the benefit of Alice! readers unfamiliar with self-mutilation, according to S.A.F.E., it is the deliberate, repetitive, impulsive, non-lethal harming of one's self. Self-injurers can also have an eating disorder at the same time. People who self-injure (as well as people with eating disorders) often inflict harmful behaviors on themselves to help gain a sense of control in their lives, to take away the pain, to cope with the stresses and anxieties of life, to comfort themselves, and/or to punish or blame themselves for what happened in their past.
Alice will be thinking of you.
July 30, 2009
21537To the reader:
It is very undertandable what you are going through, I go through it constantly too. And no one can really stop me becaue I am part of the "emo" group, the people who are expected to cut themselves. Just very recently someone finally told me to stop, and finally asked me why I cut. I told them the story, and they said they understood, but still not to cut. They told me instead of cutting, call them, cuss them out, take all my anger and depression out on them. It is very useful, I haven't cut in over 2 weeks, which is a very long time.
March 7, 2008
21412To the reader:
Your not alone! It is very hard to talk about cutting while you are going through it! I have gone through depression, anxiety, cutting, drinking and whatever else comes along...
To the reader:
Your not alone! It is very hard to talk about cutting while you are going through it! I have gone through depression, anxiety, cutting, drinking and whatever else comes along with it. If you have a friend going through depression the best thing you can do is be there. It is very hard dealing with someone that has depression because you don't feel like you can help them but by staying there even when they are pushing you so hard is the most important thing. I can't stress that enough — you dont have to cure them because they need to take those steps for themselves, but they need that hand to hold no matter what they tell you.
If your friend is cutting, it is a lot like depression, stick by their side. If you know it's bad don't leave them alone. I know I would never cut when someone else was around but as soon as they left thats the first thing I would do. Make it an effort to not leave them alone. Take them somewhere to get help and go with them and stay with them, this for someone who is going through it is very scary! If you have a friend that is going through any of this please stick it out and know that this is not them — it's something more powerful then they can control and they need you more then ever to get through it!