[lonelyperson]

ok im seeing a counselor and she knows about my si but she wants me to talk to my doc about it. im just wondering if anyone knows what they will do to me like what will happen if i do tell them about it. i am a cutter and burner for a little over 8 years. i am on meds for depression and anxiety. basically i just want to know what they will do for me if anyone has had an experience in this area i would appreciate any comments or advice you could give me.
thanks
lp

[Zenobia]

This question has so many variables it is difficult to respond but I will tell you my experience. When I was very sick and on the edge, suicidal, I injured myself and ended up curled up in the garage wrapped up in a sleeping bag, unresponsive to my husband. He was frightened and called my friend who talked me into go to the emergency room. I got a shot of ativan and was sent home after I promised to make an appointment with my therapist. My therapist assessed my danger and talked me into admitting myself into a hospital. I stayed there 5 days.

I have continued to hurt myself. My T is aware of it. He assesses my danger each time and has determined that my life is not at risk at this time.

The question is "Is your life in danger?"
Carrie

<font color=green>But the implicit and usually unconscious bargain we make with ourselves is that, yes, we want to be healed, we want to be made whole, we're willing to go some distance, but we're not willing to question the fundamental assumptions upon which our way of life has been built, both personally and societally.--Bill Plotkin, Soulcraft

[Rapunzel]

My experience has been that professionals like therapists and doctors react to being told about my SI much less than I expect. Neighbors and other laypeople who don't have any experience with it are the ones who freak out. My most recent T knew about my self harm from the beginning, but really never focused on it. At one point I was cutting more and more, and my depression got pretty bad, and he might have asked about SI a couple of times then and maybe once later on. He did want me to see about getting on prescripton medication, so I made a doctor appointment to discuss that. My doctor asked about my symptoms, and I told her that I was a self injurer. She didn't say anything about that, or ask questions about it or want to see wounds and scars. In fact, I told her that I didn't really want to be on medication and that I was only there because I told my T that I would go to the appointment. She didn't pressure me about meds or anything - just said that she would like to help me if I wanted help, and that was it.

For a while my T even said that maybe cutting and scratching was just a quirk that I might decide to live with. He never pressured me to stop until it started escalating. Then he did tell me I had to stop doing it.

The only time when anything happened to me that was against my will was when neighbors saw me after I had scratched up my face and they called the police. That was a low point for me and I was actually suicidal, but had chosen SI instead and worn myself out with that. They put me in jail for a couple of hours and brought in a counselor, who said that they should let me go.

They can't force you to be hospitalized unless you are a danger to self or others, and as long as you are not threatening to damage yourself seriously right away they aren't going to force any kind of treatment on you that you don't want.

<font color=orange>"They accused us of suppressing freedom of expression. This was a lie and we could not let them publish it." ... from the Director of Censorship...

</font color=orange>

[dalila]

My T is real matter of fact about si -- her first question is usually 'does the injury need medical attention', then she asks if i am planning to continue. I usually am not but it happens anyway. Her response has been that 'we know when you are over stress.......' As I am doing better with it she has said, in an off hand manner 'and you don't get to take that out on your skin.' Hmmmm I am internalizing her more than I knew -- have spent most of the day digging at my scalp and just writing this made me aware and helped me to stop.

My general doctor has not said much -- he put me on an antidepression drug, and recently presidone to stop the itching that the sores in my scalp cause that encourages the digging holes up there. Last time I saw him he said I should stop digging and they would heal. He's right but digging has been so hmmm autopilot for me with stressors, oh well will be seeing therapist next monday.

~D~

[lonelyperson]

i just wanted to say thanks for your replys, i go to the doc on wed the 10th and im not sure if i am going to say anything yet. but i thank all of you for your stories.