[angel5087]

Last night I went to the hospital, and, although there was no currents cuts, they saw a few cuts and a little bit of a left over scab. My mom was further away, and luckily couldn't tell it was scars, and she had asked me if I had been scratching there. I said yes. She believed it even though I've used that excuse for scars before. The nurse just said "Yeah, I was wondering about that." It's obvious she knew. Then, today, my mom was telling me she had asked me the question because, she "knew" I would never hurt myself and that she knew it was where I had been itching, but that to the nurses it probably looked like cuts. I knew I was afraid of getting caught, but this experience really showed me how terrified I am of getting found out. Has anyone ever had a similar experience?

Yeah I had a pretty similar experience to this. Although in mine my mum didn't see the marks on my arm as there was a curtain between us while i was being examined. The doctor asked what it was and I don't think I said anything, just mumbled until he moved on. I think he wanted me to open up but I couldn't with my mum sitting there. When we left the appointment my mum asked me jokingly "you haven't been self harming have you". She had no idea.... I think she just believed what she wanted to believe. I was so sure I was going to be found out then and was terrified!

[Espresso]

One time in the ER, I had some self harm bruises. The doctor asked about it, but he thought it was abuse instead of self harm. They wouldn't let me leave until I talked to a social worker.

[ombrétwilight]

I had a long cut from the bottom of my palm to the crook of my elbow. It looked more like a really bad scratch though from the fresh swelling and my mum saw it even though I turned my hand inwards. She was convinced I was in a fight and yanked up the sleeve of my uniform to reveal... all the other cuts. I weaseled my way out of that by saying the long cut was inflicted by one of the school cats and the others were because my arm was itchy and I scratched too hard. I don't think she believes me but she let it go, though she did discover my blades thrice (because she snoops in my bag).

Yeah I was ABSOLUTELY terrified. I was perfectly cool with my T seeing them but not my family. My mum is one of the biggest reasons why I SH and since I was a child I had learnt to build up tough walls and never let her see me vulnerable.

I used to cut only on my breasts and buttocks because it was the only place doctors didn't see.

[Browncurtains]

I know how you feel. I'm so scared to cut anywhere I can't hide in case my mom finds out. But I cut really deep on my finger one time and I was trying to clean up the blood when my mom came in. I was able to tell her that I cut myself on my scissors trying to cut a paper for school, but it really scared me that she might have found out.

[pandabear1]

Medical professionals keep things confidential. They are honestly looking out for your well being, it doens't matter what youv'e done, unless your life is in serious danger they wont do anything drastic without your permission. I've been in the hospital before when a friend went to the school ( I was 15 and 21 now) and told them I had been cutting severely and was hospitalized. You do not want this. It was the worst thing I have yet to experience. after this, you aren't allowed any of your own belongings and have to go through regular full body skin checks to check for new self harm injury's, and if you think you can get away with it, you are wrong. Words of advice... Now, as an adult I can tell you, people are not stupid. If you self harm and it is visible, it doesn't pass as an accident. When I was younger, doctors, adults, teachers, would always say something. As an adult, with the scars, people see them, but they ignore them. To an extent I'm happy that they don't say any thing, but at the same time it makes me very uncomfortable still. you cant wear long sleeves and pants forever, and when it's 100 degrees out side you dont have a lot of choice. Really, I wish I had handled myself better, the scars dont go away, no matter how much you want them too and I still struggle with self harm. By the way if you are at the doctors with a parent YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEE A DOCTOR PRIVATELY. While a parent will have to give permission to see the doctor, you have every right to speak to your doctor privately without your mom hovering over you which is soooo much nicer.

[Zykra]

Y_Y I had almost the exact same experience a little while ago.I was getting a blood test done and I knew that I had to pull my sleeve up so I tried covering my self-harm scars with foundation which didn't seem to help much.As the nurse was taking the blood out I could see her glance at my scars every now and then,it looked like she wanted to ask but luckily she didn't.My mum wasn't too far from me so she saw the scars on my arm.Later when I got home she asked me what was on my arm.>__< And I swear I was shaking so much and sweating.I simply told her they were scratches and she seemed to believe meXD.Funny thing is they looked like cuts from a knife and clearly looked like self-harm,but she didn't seem to catch on.
:/ I have another blood test soon,if it's a different nurse who knows what'll happen.

[TheWell]

I have a lot of scars on my thighs...a lot.

I hurt my knee and the ortho doc had to look at my knee. He asked about the scars..

"What happened here?"
"It was a bad habit."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry"

Awkward but whatever.

I've had nurses in the hospital see them. If they ask I tell them it was an old problem.

[ToeJam]

I'm a bit nonchalant about my scars so on the one occasion a nurse spotted them and commented, it was very much water off of a ducks back for me... I don't cut because of how others see me, it doesn't define who I am; I cut because it's a release (well, I'm trying not to these days obviously):

Anyway, had an escorted trip to another hospital for a medical procedure (was inpatient for mh at the time) and the nurse spotted the mass of recent cuts and quite sharply said 'you're a self harmer then' to which I nodded and said 'yes'... short and sweet. My non reaction in terms of embarrassment or whatever cut that conversation short