Needing Advice

[imagi]

Hi,

I've kind of found myself in a predicament. I have been a cutter since I was 13. When I did cut it was pretty intense, and I nearly didn't make it through my worst bought. However, in the last couple of years I've managed to turn myself around, and I haven't cut in 3 years (and pretty much 10 months). I've always made myself open to people who wanted to stop cutting as a support because I feel comfortable with it. In the future I intend to focus my graduate work on people who self-injure, so this is pretty much what I'm looking at as a career as well because I fully believe that the supports available specifically to people who self-injure are horrible in most areas.

 

Okay, so my predicament.

All of the people that I've spoken to in the past have done so on their own accord. One of my friends from highschool (we're pretty close, and lived together this past year while we were away at college) contacted me today because her mom requested that she give her my number. My friend did this because her sister self-injures. She had stopped for awhile, but recently began again. When her mom found out, she became distraught and called my friend.

 

In the past, I've been told that me becoming involved with someone has been beneficially because they wanted to talk to someone who understood what they were going through. They came willingly. I have no clue how to approach this person though, and I know her mom will phone me tomorrow to ask me to come by the house and talk to her daughter.

I'm worried that this girl is going to freak out because we aren't friends, but we've known each other for our entire lives because of her sister. So my concern/question that I'm getting to is: How would you react in a similar situation? I know this girl really appreciates what her mom does for her, so I'm assuming that she won't be too terribly upset. I still have no idea how to approach the situation.

 

Okay, I'm going to stop ranting. Thanks.

[usied]

first thats really awesome that you took that experience and are now trying to help others in the same situation..yea i had a friend who did that and it was a very personal thing to them for the most part...hopefully things go well goodluck ...take care

[pizzachick13]

you are doing a very good thing there... i commend you. i am a cutter and am presently seeking help from a friend who knows what i'm going through, as she's a reformed cutter. anyways, i think that if you just go over and act all normal and stuff she'll warm to you. basically, dont try to buddy up to her, just plainly state that you used to cut and that if she wanted to talk then you'd be there.

 

that leaves the ball in her court and she can either take you up on the offer, which she most likely will, or she'll throw the ball back and say no.

 

i hope that helps

 

good luck

 

Sappho