Cutting / Question
Published: February 9, 2004
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I've been slitting my wrists for about a year now. Things never got better, so the cuts got deeper. I try to hide them with watches, wristbands and makeup. I need help, but I can confide in No One! It only gets worse. I quit for a while and then pick it up again. My depression gets worse, but I can't show it to anyone. I just have to keep pretending that I'm the happy person that people perceive me as. What Should I do?
Signed: Cutting Is Getting Deeper-Confused & Depressed
Dear Cutting Is Getting Deeper-Confused & Depressed,
If you continue to pretend you are happy, you will never feel better. TeenHealthFX recommends that you find someone to talk to, even though you say you cannot. If you check out our section on cutting you will see that there are many other teens struggling with the same issues of cutting and feeling depressed. A professional counselor is the best way to address these issues.
TeenHealthFX strongly suggests you talk to your parents about your struggles and let them know you need and want their help (you could show them what you wrote to us). Most parents want to help their children be as healthy and as happy as they can. If you absolutely cannot talk to them, you need to find another adult that you trust - like a school counselor or nurse, your doctor or a relative who can help you talk to your parents so that you can get help.
If you need help in finding a therapist in northern New Jersey, call the Access Center at Atlantic Behavioral Health at 973-247-1400. Outside of this area you can log onto the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website for referrals to therapists in your area. Also check out TeenHealthFX's sections on Cutting and Depression for more information.
If you get to the point that you are considering suicide or are afraid of your impulses then you need to seek help immediately. You can call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room. In northern New Jersey you can also call the crisis hotline from Morristown Memorial hospital at 973-540-0100. Outside this area call or log onto the National Hopeline Network at 1.800.SUICIDE (784.2433), 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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