Hi. I am new here and live in the UK. For several months now our 13 yr old daughter has been hurting herself. She has had a lot to cope with in her life including having a brother with special needs and myself who has bipolar 2 disorder. Also extended family problems.

She actually came and told me at the beginning that she had hurt herself inside her left wrist with the end of her acne tube gel (its sharp) and felt so ashamed, but she could not voice exactly why she had done it. Now it has escalated. On Monday night, before going back to school after holiday she used a knife and cut deep (I don't know where on her body). I knew this because she had left her diary next to her bed and never hides it, almost like she wants me to see it. I went out of my mind reading this this morning as she said in her notes that it hurts like hell.

I have spoken to my counsellor today and took the diary with me, my husband came too. We are going to urge our daughter to seek help from the school counsellor who is very trained in this area. I just hope she goes this time, cos the first time she refused to go.

I have been reading up alot on SI and now understand why she does it, but she is in danger of really hurting herself now and its become a compulsion. I am at my wits end with worry for her.

Thanks for listening.