Cutting Addiction

[britjojo]

I have a young friend through church-she's significantly younger than I am at just 15 years old, but she has had an incredibly tough life. As a result of (environmental) depression she started cutting several years ago and is now unable to stop. She is mangling her pretty body more and more every month, and says that it is the only thing that helps her cope with her shitty family situation.

We talk a lot, on msn and the phone and I try and support her. I get her involved with church social activities to at least take her mind off things, but I think it is getting to the point that I am going to need to see that she gets help before she hurts herself more severely. Being just fifteen I am sure she will not see me as helping, only betraying her which makes me sad :(

[mtajim]

Your friend is too young to understand all this . But i think if anything that can help her then that is her family . Her family has to come front for her , because they were her problem .

[britjojo]

Her family are too messed up. They always have been and always will be-we have known the family for a decade and nothing is going to change there. I think that her only hope is to come of age so that she can move out and get as far away from them as possible.

[mtajim]

I too think so , if her family cannot help , then she should unserstand that , this is the life is going to live and she has to face it . She has to understand her problems and not ruin it in drugs

[shinningstar]

In that case, nobody can help her except herself. There's a need for her to give double effort in changing her ways of life. A real friend should be always at her side for her to realize how to live a good life. You can invite her to join sports and outdoor activities.

[mtajim]

Thats right , if she engages herself in other activities than she can surely overcome her problems

[takemetoyourheart]

you've done all you can to help her and if it still doesn't help her, you've got to make her "like the idea" of going to a counsellor.. she'll be happier herself... and also she has to participate in "happy" activities in churche or anywhere else so that depressive thoughts do not coem her way as often as normally should

[mtajim]

I think if she is going to church , then she should find more happier things to do and i hope this will reduce her problem