| 
Featuring OVER 250
Conversation Starters!
Only $9.95 (plus s&h)
CLICK TO ORDER TODAY
FROM SUSANFEE.COM
CLICK
HERE TO READ AN EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
CLICK
FOR COMPLETE TABLE OF CONTENTS LISTING
More
questions about self-injury? Here's where to find the answers
in
My
Roommate Is Driving Me Crazy!
Q:
I walked into my dorm room one night to find my roommate banging
her head against the wall. It really freaked me out!
What can I do to help her?
A:
See page 162
Q:
My roommate cuts and no one else knows but me. Should I tell someone?
A:
See page 164
Q:
I'm afraid my roommate is going to kill herself. Should I
try and hide her razors?
A:
See page 162
|
 |
 |
|
Self-Injury:
Emotional and Physical Pain
|
|
|
|
|
Self-injury is intentionally causing self-inflicted
physical pain in order to cope with overwhelming
feelings, traumatic events, or severe emotional
pain. The person is not "crazy," but rather just
never learned appropriate ways to express intense
feelings. Some of the most common ways to self-injure
include cutting, burning, hitting, scratching, and
pulling hair. A person who self-injures usually
does so in private. She does not typically flaunt
or brag about injuries. Although some men
self-injure, the behavior is more prevalent amongst
women. The reasons vary. Some who self-mutilate
say it helps to release pain, while others say it
offers distraction from traumatic memories. For
some, self-injury gives a sense of control. Others
are numb to emotion, and self-injury gives them
a way to feel something.
The biggest misconception is that self-injury is
an attempt to commit suicide. The person in question
may feel so bad that he has had suicidal thoughts,
but generally the two are unrelated. In most cases,
the act of self-injury is an attempt to cope with
those intense feelings, not die.
Here are the warning signs of self-injury:
-
Compulsive
need to injure oneself by cutting, burning, hitting,
scratching, or pulling hair
-
Re-injuring
old wounds so they don't heal
-
Scarring,
usually on arms, wrists, legs, abdomen, head,
or chest
-
Attempts
to hide arms or other body parts where injury
occurred
-
Hoarding
of sharp objects like razors
-
Person
experiences a high from doing it
-
Consuming
thoughts of self-injury, or the behavior interrupts
normal daily functioning
-
In
most cases, there is no intention of killing oneself,
only to cope with or release intense feelings
of pain
-
Usually
self-injures when alone
If you experience any of these symptoms, you know
that the behavior can feel all-consuming.
You also need to know that there are people who
want to support you in finding healthier ways of
coping.
If you have a friend or roommate who is a self-injurer,
it can be frightening and disturbing to be around
this behavior. As difficult as it may be,
do not attempt to stop or control someone's self-injury.
You are not responsible for her behavior, and by
interfering with her way of coping, you could do
more harm than good. Trying to hide or take away
self-injury tools, giving ultimatums, or "guilt
tripping" your roommate into stopping only encourages
more self-hatred and more self-injury. Instead,
support your roommate by helping her express feelings
and offering to listen without judgment.
Whether you are a self-injurer or know one, seeing
a campus counselor can help you find ways to better
deal with the behavior. Learn
more about the myths and facts of self injury from
the American Self Harm Information Clearing House
at
http://www.selfinjury.org/indexnet.html
. You can also call the SAFE Alternatives Program
at 1-800-DON'T-CUT (1-800-366-8288).
To
learn more about campus mental health visit www.campusblues.com.
More
College Survival Tips
Real
World Tips
|
|
|
| |
|
