[TunaSlam]

I know the law varies for each state/country, but I have a few questions about school and self-harm in the US.

1. Do college professors/staff still have an obligation to report suspected self-injury to anyone (and if so, who?) Or is this only in high school and lower levels of education where most students are under 18?

2. At what point is a counselor required to involuntarily commit someone to a hospital for self-harm? For example, can you do any of the following without the risk of being committed?:

- Tell them that you have self-harmed
- Tell them that you have urges to self-harm

3. How severe does self-harm need to be for a counselor to report you? If you express that you have a desire to stop, does that affect their decision to involuntarily commit you?

4. Will you definitely be involuntarily committed if someone else sees your injuries and reports you to the police?

[tealBumblebee]

I don't know and will not speculate on 1 and 4.

But in regards to counseling - i've heard it is different even in different states (not just countries). However, if you are to see a counselor/therapist they should
go over this with you in the first session, at the very beginning. It may even be in the paper work. In MY case - my counselor has informed me (over and over because i'm neurotic about this) that:

* Most commitments are voluntary (agreed upon by counselor and patient).

* She has to report if I am suicidal - as in, i've mentioned it, we've explored it, I have a plan, I have the necessary things and am likely to do it. She always says: "Just because you have suicidal thoughts, does not necessarily mean you are going to do it. That is why I ask questions, to explore the thoughts." I've told her (unintentionally but after much questioning about hospitalization) that I was suicidal, and she just said "So i'm hearing you say, that you do not have a plan but are having suicidal thoughts." Nothing beyond dealing with those feelings came of that.

* Just to add - she has to report if a child, elder or vulnerable person is in an abusive environment. Or if I am threatening to leave there and hurt a person and have a gun - she has an obligation to contact/warn the victim to be.

Also to note:

* I have told her I self harm. She has not asked to see, how deep, or threatened to report it. She has asked me if I wanted to stop, and was satisfied with my answer (which was more or less no).

* If I tell her that I had an urge to self harm, she will ask about the circumstances surrounding the event to find a possible trigger. That way we can maybe come up with a better coping mechanism, or a way to not get that upset next time.

I am NOT a legal expert by any means.... but my EXPERIENCE with this is:

They NEVER have to report self harm to anyone (teacher, doctors, shrinks). However, if you ever express suicidal thoughts or they *interpret* your behavior or mood to be suicidal - they WILL use your self harm against you (it is technically considered suicidal behavior -- which I think is CRAP).

Hope that helps. Hang in there.