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.

 

[Mx_Pathetic]

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

Oddly it doesn't feel that young. It could be because I've heard of other stories of people who started at 5 but idk, i seem unfazed about it

 

[d-tea]

To this day I don't understand how no one found out or why no one said anything. I also started around the age of 9, on the back of my hand; carved a star by scratching off more and more skin until it burned with a needle. Then I scratched a tic tac toe board on the back of my hand and asked a classmate "to play tic tac toe" by cutting into my hand... how did no teacher get involved?

My mother once saw a couple of those scratches on my lower arm (I never seriously cut myself on my arms, later on only in places that can't be seen that easily but I didn't yet think about the consequences when I was that young) and she grabbed my arm so hard it hurt, yanked up the sleeve and stared into my soul saying NEVER. AGAIN. and then just went past me. Never spoke of it again. I don't know if she even remembers.

 

[yoahii]

The first time when my parents found my self harm, my mom was freaking out and sobbing. She took me to the hospital where I went to the psych unit. She accused me of self harming to make her upset and that the only reason why I did that was because I wanted to make her hurt. My dad was more disappointed and he was swearing. My mom later joked about how my arm made me like Freddy Krueger got me. And her main concern was that I wouldn't be able to wear short sleeves anymore and that people would be able to see my arm. She made me hide my arms whenever I went out or when i was home. She also treated me like a freak which was not really fun tbh lol.

 

[Marbas]

My family didn't care. Other people I told the truth to irl acted extremely disgusted and treated me like I was some sort of insane person that needed to be avoided at all costs. My mistake for trying to reach out to others for support. Now I just tell people it was the cat if they bother to ask. Most people don't tbh. As I've gotten older I've realized just how little people truly care.

 

[RegretedFeeling]

I fucking love it, it gets me through some tough times . But I'm cutting like five lines a day and my arm is running out of room, I'm trying to keep it to the one arm

I fucking love it, it gets me through some tough times . But I'm cutting like five lines a day and my arm is running out of room, I'm trying to keep it to the one arm

I know they aren't deep yet,I'm trying but nervous

 

[Loser1989]

I started when I was 11. I lasted until I was 18 before I told my mum. She didn't know what to say, and took a while to process it. She was kind. I know that's a far cry from what a lot of you deal with, I was lucky. But now, 17 years later, I feel like shes worn out with me. I dont blame her, it's a lot to take.

When I was 19 a coworker asked "what's going on with your arm?" it put me on the spot so I sputtered something about moving some boxes... I dont know what I was thinking.

Now I just cut my ankles. I tried my inner thigh once but walking was so incredibly painful I never did it again.

 

[eattwinkiesseejesus]

My dad threatened to kill me lol

 

[RegretedFeeling]

My dad threatened to kill me lol

My dad used to do shit like that... I got kicked out of the house the day I fought him. But a couple of months before that I had a couple of my friends who were bigger than him pay him a visit,

 

[rotten]

I fucking love it, it gets me through some tough times . But I'm cutting like five lines a day and my arm is running out of room, I'm trying to keep it to the one arm

I know they aren't deep yet,I'm trying but nervous

I understand...I get like that too. It's the only way I'm able to snap myself out of it before I start spiraling. Please be careful and whatever you do try to keep it sanitary.

 

[ForeverCaHa]

When I was a teen (16/17) my brother used to get drunk in the dining room most Friday evenings. That would usually mean me getting stuck in (mostly jovial) conversation with him.

One evening I told him that I had been self harming (can't remember exactly how that topic came up), and he got quite mad, called me stupid for doing it. Honestly I doubt he even remembers, but ever since then I've told no one about it. I've recently relapsed, and it's just between you guys and me, so keep your mouths shut please! It's not "intense" self harm, that's how I justify it in my head. I'll likely end up adding a small appendix in my note to the authorities explaining the bruises and cuts, just so the coroner doesn't question my family too much on it/assume I had been in some kind of physical altercation prior to my death

 

[Killmeonce]

I was hiding it for ages. Always wearing long sleeved tops, even in humidity. One time I was in my room chilling, and my dad came bursting through the door. I didn't have anything covering my arms, because I thought I'd be safe from prying eyes in my own space. But I should have remembered that my dad would rarely knock the door. He asked me for something, then noticed the lines on my arms and asked me about them. I was caught off guard and probably blurted out some nonsense. That night I overheard him talking to my Mum about it. He basically called me an attention seeker. Which surprised me because I was trying so hard, to not only hide my scars, but also hide how bad my mental health had become. But I was surprising ok with that reaction. I knew being classed as an attention seeker meant no one would take the SH seriously. And that's what I wanted.

 

[cantThinkOfName]

I tries to live in student accommodation for a year my flatmate found me drunk with my wrists cut. I tried to play it off the next day but I could hear him calling people. I then got a visit from a support staff in the building and denied it. My suicide attempt caused my family and everyone to see it.