[CurioussKent]

So, I need some advice for an upcoming situation. I'm trying to decide on if I should tell my therapist I'm still suicidal and self harm. Now, before you go "Of course you tell the therapist" I should tell you my situation. My mom thinks that I stopped self harming way back when and thinks it's "attention seeking." and my dad had an angry outburst when I asked if I could be put in the psychward to get some help. They get angry when I mention doctors and mental help, and I fear their anger. Every time I'd get the courage to tell my therapist, I get all scared and chicken out. I know I should but....fear rules my life.

I have an appointment Wenesday afternoon, so I need your guy's advise on what I should do.

Well...can I ask a couple of questions? If you tell your therapist, is he/she required to tell your parents? If no, then I'd definitely tell the therapist. It will give you a place to talk about your feelings and about strategies to help you cope with your feelings to avoid self-harming.

If the therapist does have to tell your parents, then you might try a gentler approach and say that you are having a very rough time and thinking about suicide and self-harm a lot, but that your parents' reaction is playing a huge part in how you deal with things.

If your therapist doesn't know already, I think that he/she needs to know how much your parents' anger is affecting you.

Please remember that your parents' anger is very likely about confusion and fear about mental health issues and maybe about money, too. (You may know more exactly what it's about - I'm making a best-guess.)

If you need a hotline member to talk to, some numbers are:

(1-800-784-2433) or

(1-800-273-8255)


or look at this page for numbers that may be specific to your county.

I'm glad that you've posted about this here on these forums. Hugs.

[CurioussKent]

Since I live with my parents and I'm under 18, yes, she'd have to report me. And, concerting the extremity of my suicidal idealization, I'm highly at risk. And my therapist does know about the anger (she thinks it's something more)

We're on health care, so I don't think it's about money (I could be wrong), and one of my sisters has bipolar disorder and one of my brothers has PTSD....soooo

Wow, that's a tough burden to add on top of the already extremely heavy burden of deep depression and suicidal ideation. I've only gone inpatient for care once, and I remember what a tough decision it was to make to do it. I was glad once I was there, because I got much-needed help, but I do remember the mental contortions I put myself through beforehand. And I was an adult with no one to account to besides myself.

I hope I'm not reading things into what you've written, but my impression is that your sense of self-preservation is operational, and that if things get bad enough, that you will do what you need to do to take care of yourself.

The irony is that, if you do go into the hospital, your parents will probably go into supportive "mode".

I don't know if maybe your therapist could help you find a way to communicate to your parents the additional burden they're placing on you with their current attitudes. Maybe she could tell them.