Cutting-edge* advice from the STAR section
Over the weekend, the Chronicle ran a story from features writer and former Katrina-refugee impersonator Kristin Finan on people who cut themselves.
It's an interesting enough read, but the best part is the Tips and Resources sidebar published with the story:
TIPS AND RESOURCES:
If you're a cutter:
• Stay away from books, movies, shows, music and people that might trigger you to cut.
• Find support online. A Houston-area group can be found at www.xanga.com
• Give your cutting materials to a friend or throw them away.
• Try cutting a doll, block of wood or other inanimate object when you feel like self-injuring.
• Talk to your friends about it, and make a list of people you can call when you feel like doing it.
• Keep a journal about your feelings.
• Try to figure out what's causing you to do it.If your friend is a cutter:
• Don't act like the friend is crazy. Let him or her talk to you.
• Confide in a parent or adult you trust.
• Use books and Web sites to learn more about it.
• Encourage your friend to call you when the person feels like cutting and to talk to a parent or school counselor about it.If your child is a cutter:
• Encourage your child to talk to you about his or her feelings and why the child cuts.
• Don't invade your child's privacy to the point he or she stops trusting you.
• Read up on self-injury.
• Speak with a counselor, and consider starting regular counseling sessions for your child.
• Emphasize the good things about your child.
• Frequently hug him or her and say you love the child.
You just have to love that one recommendation to cutters is to get rid of the cutting materials, and the next recommendation is to try cutting inanimate objects when the urge to cut strikes.
* Yes, it is a horrible, horrible pun. I should be ashamed, but I'm not.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/07/06 09:11 AM | Print | Comments (5)
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