Being a teen today is more difficult than ever before. If your teen is dealing with a personal tragedy or trauma, they may experience feelings which are tough to express, and may not feel like they have an outlet for those feelings.
One increasingly common outlet that teens are using as a release of bad feelings is cutting. The experts at Kids Health say teens may feel that cutting gives them relief from strong feelings of anger, desperation, sadness or loneliness.
Teens should know that there are much better ways to deal with these feelings, and as a parent or friend, there are things you can do to help your teen work through the pain and suffering of cutting. If you or someone you know is cutting, the experts at Kids Health recommend these few steps to get help in targeting the issues leading to cutting.
- Tell someone. Choose someone you trust, like a parent or school counselor, who you can talk to about cutting. This may be the hardest step, but may also be a great relief.
- Identify the trouble that’s causing the emotional pain. You may have trouble figuring this part out by yourself, and might need to speak with a professional who can help you understand the causes of these feelings.
- Ask for help. Sometimes adults downplay a teen’s problems as a phase, but talk to a school counselor or a nurse who can help make your case for you.
- Work on it. Most people who have experienced trauma or deep emotional pain need to work with a counselor or mental health professional to learn to cope with the pain. Try to find a therapist or counselor though your doctor’s office, school, or mental health clinic in your area.
Check out the Kids Health site for some more advice on how you can work on releasing some of that tension through other means than cutting.
9 Comments on "Helping Your Teen Cope With The Pain Of Cutting"
Jennifer
I was a cutter because I was never able to express my feelings when I was younger. I was cutting myself up too the age of 20 I am now 30 years old and I still get the feelingd and when I do I call the local numbers in my area to talk to someone it helps sometimes the person on the other end has been threw what I am going threw and sometimes thay dont understand. So if you ever feel like cutting your self there are numbers and you can be kept annymous and safe from cutting yourself. So just rember that you love yourself and that someone out there is feeling your pain also keep your head up and smile and you will learn that your pain is my pain.
Tasha
I still do it im 17 and iv been doing it since i was 15 my whole life depends on it. Everytime something horrible happens my mind jumps to that, i hate it and want to stop but i just cant its my addiction =( Im getting help but so far it hasn’t worked
mona miller
I am a mother of a 16 yr old young lady that tells ma she cuts herself. When I look at the areas they appear to be small scratches. How does a parent know its serious problem or a cry for attention? My daughter and I have a close relationship, I dont know what would make her act out in such a way.Help.
allyn
mona- a cry for help is serious.try and help your daughter and if you are not able-ask for more help.you don’t want that small scratch to end up being a bloody mess where your baby dies..
and to tasha, have you tried getting your feling out through writing or some other way? i used to cut too and sometimes you have to find a way to express your feelings through writing, drawing, whatever it may be, before it is too late.i know you feel a release when you do it- but i almost died. please think of another way to express everything you can’t through talking.think of things that make you smile, and try to focus on that..
billy
for all you people out there in life stop cutting yourself. plz we all know the hold world going in the dumps but hurting yourself is not going to make it any better. just have faith in the good lord.
billy
and for people that really need help call someone
about cutting yourself. i know life can be hard to life
but hurting yourself is not the way to go you not just hurting yourself your hurting your family to. because when people look at you with all them cuts on your body people stop and think did he or she do it her self or what. if you ever need to talk to someone get the bible and read psalm 23:1-6. the lord is on your side. all you have to do is ask for help and forgives for all your sins and have the lord come in to your hart.
billy
god bless people
britany
hi name is britany and for about 4 yrs know i was cutting like hard core cutter i used to cut of pain and everything that was going on with my life at the time it really hard to deal life as a tennagers thruth me it was hard to deal with lfe but know im 21 years old and i havent cut very since because i got the proper help that i need it i had my friends and my close family to help me through the hard time and the good times too.
juloe
hi. my son started cutting this year and im trying to find out what i can do to help him
i have had him in counseling and even temporarily6 in a hospital. Do u7 have any suggestions that could help me . He is 17 years old and and going through tough teen age years. Thank you
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