M is for M+Ms
Self-Injury"
Most self-injurers think hurting themselves is a good thing, and need to get proffessional help to stop."
Well, I don't know about 'most', but it is sadly true that there are pro-self-injury people and pro-self-injury websites on the net. Luckily, I think the majority of those who do it and can identify it want to stop.
Though proffessional help is probably a huge benefit in some cases, I would recommend that if one of your friends ever does it, to keep their secret and try and help them with your support at first, before getting everyone invlolved. This could be stressful, and cause them to worsen their self-injury or create further problems.
Yayyyyyy for well written out myths and truths about a few mental illnesses. I really appreciated the autism and self-injury ones, since my best friend actually works as a behavior therapist for autistic kids and I am currently trying to quit SI (once in the last 9 weeks...
smile ).
Though, I do have a bone to pick with you about the last one...while it is good to try and help your friend and keep their secret, this can be very dangerous. While it is a myth that SI is a form of suicide attempt, a vast majority of people who SI are depressed and will eventually make an attempt at their life. If you know someone who SI's, you really need to weigh out a few things....how depressed they are, what their family situation is, how old they are, how many other people know, etc...and make a good decision about whether telling is the right thing.
And you ought to definately
encourage them to seek help on their own. Professional help is actually what most people need to quit self-injuring because it deals with the underlying issues and not the actual injuries themselves (if you get a good therapist that is....sure, if an injury requires medical attention, that needs to be sought, but I found that a lot of my friends would focus on how bad the injury was rather than why I actually did it).
Personally, I thought therapy was a load of bull, until this fall when my problems worsen and I sought help from a school therapist (I'm in college). Not only have my injuries lessened in frequency, but I'm starting to feel freer...my problems don't own so much anymore.
Plus, a majority (but not all! I'm in the minority) of people who self-injure have been abused - sexually, physically, emotionally. Therapy will really benefit them...even though it means having to work through some very tough stuff.
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