It takes great courage to realize we need extra help in dealing with our problems. You should be so proud of yourself for making the decision to talk to your parents about cutting. Cutting is a scary coping skill and if not addressed soon it could lead to a lifetime addiction. Not only are you stressed about life problems, but you have the added pressure of covering scars and the chance of cutting too deep.
The best way to approach your parents is during a time that no one is busy and everyone is pretty calm. This way you can simply say to them that you need to talk to them about something important. Now some people feel more comfortable talking with one parent rather than both at the same time. So, you need to decide if you want to talk to one or both. It is okay to be nervous, but the important thing is to be as honest as you can with them. Now they may seem scared or disappointed and react abruptly at first, but the more you explain to them and tell them your feelings the more they will understand. From there you will know what to do. Let them know you want to stop cutting and that you have been afraid to tell them because you didn't want to scare them. They will be more in tune with what is going on and may even have some suggestions for you. Another really good person to talk to about this is your school counselor. They have many resources available to you that can help as well.
The biggest thing in your recovery to stop cutting is to replace it with a positive coping skill (journaling, exercise, reading, video/computer games, drawing, hanging out with friends, emailing us, etc). This will take time to get used to and you will find that a certain coping skill will not work every time, so it is important to have several things you can do when you feel like cutting. We know that you will be able to stop cutting with the determination that you have. Remember that the urge will not stop overnight and it will take a great deal of concentration. If you really want to stop then you will! We all have bad coping skills that we turn to sometimes, but it is up to us to choose to do our positive ones that will help us be healthy.
We are so glad you decided to reach out to us and really hope that by writing you were able to relieve some of your stress. Remember we are always here for you and want to be a support to you during this time. We always have counselors available 24/7 too if you ever decide to give us a call. Please keep us updated on your progress and never hesitate to get back in touch with us.
Be Strong,
Andria, Counselor