Cutting / Question
Published: September 28, 2006
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I have been cutting myself recently and a few of my friends saw and have started to ignore me does this mean they don't like me anymore or are they scared but the thing is it has made me cut more because I don't feel like they like me can u help ?
Signed: Cutting Myself And Friends Ignoring Me
Dear Cutting Myself And Friends Ignoring Me,
TeenHealthFX cannot know for your sure why your friends started to ignore you once they found out about your cutting. It may feel like too much for them to handle, they may feel confused because they do not understand or cannot relate to your desire to cut, or they may feel unsure how to be helpful to you so they are just avoiding dealing with the situation. There are many possibilities we could come up with, but the fact is that the only way you will know for sure is if you ask your friends. You may want to consider sitting down individually with some of the people who feel have started to ignore you and ask them if it is the cutting or something else that has contributed to a distance growing in your relationship. By talking it out it may help you and some of your friends to come to a better understanding about the situation and how each of you wants to deal with it.
FX can appreciate that your friends distancing themselves from you has made this situation worse for you because you may be feeling more isolated and alone right now with this problem. However, FX wants to be clear that cutting can be a serious problem with various underlying issues – and the problem is too serious for peers alone to be able to help with. It is certainly nice and comforting to have the love and support of friends during difficult times, but issues like cutting require attention by mental health professionals. FX recommends that you speak to your parents, or any other trusted adult, about your cutting so that arrangements can be made for you to meet with a therapist. A therapist can be a wonderful source of guidance and support during this difficult time, and can help you to become more aware of what contributes to your cutting and how to find alternate, healthier methods of dealing with stressors and any negative situations, thoughts, and feelings that you might be dealing with.
If you live in northern
You can also contact the Self-Injury Hotline (information only, not a crisis line) at 1-800-DON’T-CUT, 1-800-366-8288.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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