TeenHealthFX - Answers - Cutting And Feel Like Nobody Cares

Cutting / Question
Published: May 13, 2009

Dear TeenHealthFX,

I have been cutting for a few months, but no one has noticed. I have had constant scabs on my wrists and the scars don't fade, but no one has noticed. Not my parents, not my friends, not the people at my church, no one. Sometimes, I even try to show my wrists to them slightly, but still no one even looks. I feel so alone,a nd dont know what to do now. Only two people know, and they dont seems to care. I think i want someone to notice, so someone will care. thanks.

Signed: Cutting And Feel Like Nobody Cares

Dear Cutting And Feel Like Nobody Cares,

TeenHealthFX is sorry for whatever distress you are currently experiencing that is contributing to your cutting – and we can also appreciate how painful it must be feeling to think that nobody cares how you are doing. However, FX does think that there are people around you who definitely care and would want to do whatever they could if they knew how much distress and pain you were in. FX thinks that it is important for you to directly tell your parents about your cutting and let them know that you need their help to stop cutting and to deal with whatever issues are contributing to your desire to cut. It is important that you not hint to them about what is going on with you, but that you verbalize as directly and clearly as possible where you are at with this.

Once you speak to your parents, FX thinks that it is important for you to meet with a mental health professional. A therapist may want to meet with you individually, with your parents, or both in order to address the issues you are dealing with and to help you to develop and use alternate, healthier coping mechanisms to deal with negative emotions and difficult circumstances. A therapist will also help you to deal with the feelings you have with your parents and friends in feeling like nobody cares. That is not a good way for anybody to feel, and there may be relationship issues that need to be addressed with your friends and with your parents regarding this concern of yours.

FX would also like to point out that it is important and wonderful to feel cared about by others. But it is also extremely important that we care about ourselves. So in seeking out treatment for yourself, you are caring about yourself and treating yourself well – so get help and set the example that others should be caring and respectful of how they treat you by being caring of how you treat yourself.

If you live in northern New Jersey and need help finding a therapist you can call the Access Center from 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 in your area. You can also contact your insurance company to get a list of in-network mental health providers or check with your school social worker or psychologist to get a list of referrals in your area.

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