[1MerlinFan]

So I'm going to be moving into my dorm in the next few days. This past week I've been really excited about going back to school and seeing all of my friends from last year again. I'm also excited because this year one of my good friends is also going to be my roommate.
However, this causes a slight problem: none of my friends know that I struggle with depression and self harm. I love them all to death and hate keeping secrets from them, but I've also only known them for less than a year, and I don't really know how they'd react to that information, so I want to wait and tell them when I feel the time is right.
I certainly don't want them to just accidentally find out by seeing my scars or cuts and catching me off guard. (I am a terrible liar, and I love them too much to make up a fake excuse anyway).
Well, last semester I had a different roommate (we got along fine, but she wasn't in my main group of friends) and she wasn't in the room much, so I had no trouble hiding this from her. I also wore long sleeves all last year (I even wore a longsleeve shirt to go swimming) so my friends never could have seen anything.
The problem is that since I'm rooming with my friend this semster, and she has a similar schedule to mine, we will both be in the room at the same times, mostly. So when I change, she will probably be there. I also have been wearing short sleeves all summer, and I really don't want to go back to wearing long sleeves again. I've never liked them, and it would also give me no motivation for quitting, if no one could see the cuts anyway, I'd have no reason to stop.

So basically, does anyone have any suggestions on how I could try to keep my roommate (and all my friends) from finding out? I wear bracelets to cover them now, but I take them off at night, as I have my own room at home. But when I'm in the dorm she'd see if I took them off for bed.

Please help!!

Also if anyone has any advice on how I could eventually talk to my friends about this (as I do want to tell them someday) that'd be nice too! Or if anyone knows how to tell if they'd at least be accepting of me if I did tell them.

[kaliope]

are the cuts on the inside of your arms? get used to sleeping with your bracelets on....I never take my jewelry off....

take it off right before you go to bed after lights out.

I have learned to keep my arms turned so my scars face down so they are not visible to others. and when they do show up, most people down ask about them. the only time I have been asked is at the doctors office and I have responded that life has been difficult in the past.

be prepared with an answer if they do ask so that you don't feel put on the spot. be honest about what you do. people don't like liars. say you have had a traumatic past and you have used cutting as a coping skill. if they have any questions you would be happy to sit down and talk to them about it at anothe4r time when you feel more prepared to discuss it.

hope this helps. take care.