How can you help a teenager who self-harms?

Self cutting is usually a symptom of poor self-esteem, and poor self-image. It can become quite serious if not recognized and treated. Your daughter's friend needs counselling Louise. The sooner the better. The best thing your daughter can do is encourage her friend to see a school counsellor, or speak to someone in authority that can get her the counselling she needs. If the friend is uncooperative (and she probably will be) then speaking to her parents may be your only option.

The young lady needs professional help. I don't know, I think I'd try and verify the cutting, and if it's true, contact the parents. I might get "mind your own business", but it's too serious of a problem to leave to your daughter to talk to her friend about getting help. I think adults need to step in here.

If she is still attending school I would tell my daughter to contact the guidance teacher or her form teacher and inform them about her friend's behavioiur. They should keep things confidential and her identity would not be revealed. If she has a good relationship with her friend's parents it is wise enough to contact theml. If you have a good relationship yourself, I would contact her parents myself. This girls needs emotional help and support. Can you talk to this young lady and see what is the hidden problem that is leading to do self harm?

I believe the best thing here would be to see a counsellor and get some help. Self-harming is often a cry for help, and in most cases once that help is available, the self-harm ceases.

I think the real advice of a professional is needed as psychiatrist in these cases. but what ever he can do professionally we can do also by affection. i think there is a need to help them in understating the circumstances and some motivation. i think only the best things is to be a more friend that the parents in these cases.

My daughters friend also does this. I think it is a plea for attention . Any attention being better than none. The friend tends to get pushed out of the way by her mother for long periods of time (mum is a top career woman)and then bossed about by phone(she is at university) when the mother remembers she has a daughter. It is easy to get dragged into the scenario so you do have to only give attention to her on your own terms. We could easily have this person at Christmas and holidays but she is quite spoiled in other ways and thinks nothing of drinking till she collapses. A few years ago I noticed my own daughters hair was looking a bit thin and I said did she have an itchy scalp or anything and she said no it was just a habit and she pulled little bits out. Well I went with her to the doctor just to make sure and he said it was psychological and asked her ,did she want some help with talking things through. She said no but I did make sure we talked about stuff much more after that and she never did it again.

It is a self-esteem issue. Positive statements and some counseling would do the trick. She needs professional help! I would also check out www.loveandlogic.com. It is a great site and I think the ideas are great! I hope her folks get her to a good child psychologist.

Your daughter's friend needs therapy. If the friend comes to your home you can try talking to her but teenagers are famously tighlipped. There are any number of reasons why she started cutting ranging from trauma to some form of abuse. You could call social services and see if they are willing to investigate and possibly intervene, but it is a rather delicate situation.

The best thing, and the most important is to address this with her parents. This young lady needs professional intervention first and foremost. Are you and your daughter involved in any church? Church groups can be great support. This young lady needs that. She needs to know she is loved, as well as professional intervention. Thank you for being concerned about your daughters friend.

i am not a professional counsellor nor a therapist. i'm here because i want to help in my very own small way. self-harm is a disorder and like many other disorders, professional help and treatment is necessary to heal from. i think self-harm is by no means a way of escaping pain, it could be a very traumatic experience in the past, by using pain. and worse off, this may eventually lead to another vicious cycle, if it goes unchecked. i think it is worth the effort now "to forgive, to forget and move on" as they say, no matter how difficult it is because some memories do not heal as fast as the wounds, so that we do not carry trashbags around in life. trash certainly belongs to the garbage bins and should have been gotten rid off as soon as possible. they should not stay long in our hearts and minds in order to keep ourselves healthy. being engaged, being occupied with meaningful activities or a little hobby, a listening ear and lots of counselling should go a long way. please get help.