“Cutting” - part 2
I am continuing to read, train, and grow in the area of working with those who injure themselves through cutting, burning, and other means. This is an area to which I have committed myself to continual development, as it is clearly a problem that is growing rapidly in our culture. In fact, at a recent professional training workshop on the topic, the expert speaker, who has worked with self-injuring individuals for over 30 years said, “Self-mutilation is becoming the new smoking.”
If you, or someone you know, is engaged in self-harming behaviors such as cutting, burning, compulsive skin-picking, hair pulling, hitting oneself, or bone-breaking, there is real help available. Please get help now! This behavior can often lead people to feel very ashamed, and to work very hard to hide their secret. You are not alone - 3 million Americans (1%) are struggling with the same thing, and the number of adolescents is about 10%. And you can get help, but only if you reach out for it. Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or church member. You can call S.A.F.E. Alternatives (Self Abuse Finally Ends) at 1-800-DONTCUT. Talk to a helping professional, such as a counselor, marriage and family therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. You can call me at 387-2287 or email me at roger@hopeforyourfamily.com. There are several options that can offer real help, including counseling, medication, and dietary changes. For some very practical tips on alternatives to harming yourself, click here. If you would like additional resources, click here for a list of helpful books and websites. I recommend “Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough Healing Program for Self-Injurers” by Karen Contario, Wendy Lader, and Jennifer Kingson Bloom as the very best of the book list.