How did everyone react when you were exposed for SH?

[rotten]

Was your experience ok or just purely traumatic? Feel free to vent about it below. I know a lot of friends, family, and medical personnel have such a backwards mindset about these types of things.

The first time it happened to me it wasn't really a big deal. This guy who was friends with my bf saw my wrist while a bunch of us were collaborating on an assignment. He was sitting next to me and I was talking to a few of my friends. Then I got the feeling someone was staring. Turned around, and he had the thousand yard stare directed at my wrist. I quickly adjusted my sleeve and turned back around scared. He didn't say anything then, but later he did tell my bf.

The last time was the worst…my parents found out. Fucking school pulled me out of class and sent me to the crisis center. The nurses made me show them my cuts and later told my parents everything.

I lived in hell for about a year straight. My parents physically and emotionally abused me for my sh and suicidal thoughts. At one point even grabbed a knife and attempted to cut my thighs as punishment.

What a surprise! This didn't make me snap out of it at all :) in fact it made me more suicidal. I'm an adult now and to this day I think about ctb everyday and I sh at least several times a week. I don't tell anyone in my life anything anymore and I lost the feeling of wanting to be saved.

 

[Life'sA6itch]

"I'm an adult now and to this day I think about ctb everyday and I sh at least several times a week. I don't tell anyone in my life anything anymore and I lost the feeling of wanting to be saved."

I feel the same. I've only told one person who also tried to ctb. Never anyone else. Life is too hard for me, always has been. I'm always a target for being treated badly whether by "loved" ones or complete strangers.

 

[vampire2002]

my mom recently found out a few months ago that i do it. she saw recent scars and was like, "i can't believe you did that to your arms." among basically just treating me like a freak and making me feel bad for having struggled at all. she kept bringing it up throughout the day when the conversation was on completely different things and it just made me feel horrible. i hate when people find out, cause they're usually disrespectful about it. i personally don't really find it any worse than getting a tattoo, but everyone makes such a huge deal out of it.

 

[areyousafe??]

I was paranoid about anyone seeing my scars, so I hid behind long sleeves. One day I lost control at school and got blood on my uniform which I couldn't wash off, so I decided to come clean to my mum. She looked at my arm, said "oh, okay" and left my room. At that time, I was relieved that she didn't make a big deal about it.

Years later, I heard her telling a doctor that she felt "so angry" that I was "cutting for attention".

 

[rotten]

my mom recently found out a few months ago that i do it. she saw recent scars and was like, "i can't believe you did that to your arms." among basically just treating me like a freak and making me feel bad for having struggled at all. she kept bringing it up throughout the day when the conversation was on completely different things and it just made me feel horrible. i hate when people find out, cause they're usually disrespectful about it. i personally don't really find it any worse than getting a tattoo, but everyone makes such a huge deal out of it.

I'm so sorry that was your experience, I hope your situation with your mom is getting better. If anything she should have asked if there was something she could do to help you get better.

My mom also kept bringing it up in conversation for some reason. One thanksgiving she even brought it up in the middle of dinner even though the mood was happy until that point. And of course she proceeded to turn it into "you cut and you wanna kill yourself… poor me, why do you embarrass me?"

I was paranoid about anyone seeing my scars, so I hid behind long sleeves. One day I lost control at school and got blood on my uniform which I couldn't wash off, so I decided to come clean to my mum. She looked at my arm, said "oh, okay" and left my room. At that time, I was relieved that she didn't make a big deal about it.

Years later, I heard her telling a doctor that she felt "so angry" that I was "cutting for attention".

Why do they always assume we do it for attention? A friend of mine used to do it because she was receiving a lot of unwanted attention and the adults in her life were useless.

 

[zappynomore]

they made me feel stupid with nasty comments. did not even try to understand.

 

[areyousafe??]

I'm so sorry that was your experience, I hope your situation with your mom is getting better. If anything she should have asked if there was something she could do to help you get better.

My mom also kept bringing it up in conversation for some reason. One thanksgiving she even brought it up in the middle of dinner even though the mood was happy until that point. And of course she proceeded to turn it into "you cut and you wanna kill yourself… poor me, why do you embarrass me?"

Why do they always assume we do it for attention? A friend of mine used to do it because she was receiving a lot of unwanted attention and the adults in her life were useless.

Probably due to a lack of understanding as to why someone would want to inflict pain on themselves, they naturally think that we did it "for attention". It was ridiculous because I was wearing long sleeves in summer for at least a year before I confessed, and never wanted anyone to find out about it.

Imo, even if someone did do it "for attention", the fact that they are willing to go to such lengths to get attention, means that they are probably not getting enough attention and care from people around them, and deserve attention.

 

[rotten]

they made me feel stupid with nasty comments. did not even try to understand.

I hope you are able to get away from people like that, they aren't worthy of anyone's time.

 

[amomentspeace]

My school forced me to go to therapy sessions. I hated it and the therapist was terrible. It only ended when she got pregnant and left. Funny thing is after that everyone stopped caring, which was fine for me. It just means they didn't care from the start.

 

[Mx_Pathetic]

At first my parents cried and took me to get help. They also banned me from my phone everytime I did it. They learnt eventually that doing that wasn't helpful. I've been doing it since I was 8 so they're fairly used to it...sadly

My "bf" at the time taught me how to cut with broken glass. The first time I cut was at school behind a shed, with him as he showed me what to do.

 

[Zhendou]

I had cut my arms multiple times in horizontal slits with a razor once when I got overwhelmed with emotions and couldn't hold it in anymore. My mother noticed and was freaking out. She made me promise not to do it again and I never did it again with a razor. I also used to do self harm by dragging my hand across a wall and I got caught. I was sent to the Psych ward to calm down. I also got caught again during group therapy mandated by court so I moved places for therapy. I haven't done it since.

 

[Mx_Pathetic]

I had cut my arms multiple times in horizontal slits with a razor once when I got overwhelmed with emotions and couldn't hold it in anymore. My mother noticed and was freaking out. She made me promise not to do it again and I never did it again with a razor. I also used to do self harm by dragging my hand across a wall and I got caught. I was sent to the Psych ward to calm down. I also got caught again during group therapy mandated by court so I moved places for therapy. I haven't done it since.

Sorry if this sounds dumb but how do you hurt yourself by dragging your hand across a wall? I mean I used to smash my head against a wall but I don't understand how dragging would harm you?

 

[Zhendou]

Sorry if this sounds dumb but how do you hurt yourself by dragging your hand across a wall? I mean I used to smash my head against a wall but I don't understand how dragging would harm you?

The walls I dragged my hand along had hard small bumps, especially the walls outside.

 

[Mx_Pathetic]

The walls I dragged my hand along had hard small bumps, especially the walls outside.

I had a feeling but I wasn't too sure and wanted to ask. I used to do that to but it only ever took little bits of my skins off, I didn't do it hard tho

 

[rotten]

At first my parents cried and took me to get help. They also banned me from my phone everytime I did it. They learnt eventually that doing that wasn't helpful. I've been doing it since I was 8 so they're fairly used to it...sadly

My "bf" at the time taught me how to cut with broken glass. The first time I cut was at school behind a shed, with him as he showed me what to do.

You started so young :( I hope you are able to heal from what causes you pain.