CUTTING--WARNING
SIGNS,
HELP NUMBERS, & Helpful
Web Sites
Disclaimer: Online information
found here is made available so that individuals may find out whether
consultation with a counselor or doctor may be helpful. This is a help site and
is not intended to provide treatment, diagnosis, or consultation. This
information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
What are the warning signs of
cutting?*
David Rosen, MD, MPH, is
professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan and director of the
Section for Teenage and Young Adult Health at the University of Michigan Health
Systems in Ann Arbor. He offers
parents tips on what to watch for:
--Small, linear cuts. "The most typical cuts are very
linear, straight line, often parallel like railroad ties carved into forearm,
the upper arm, sometimes the legs," Rosen tells WebMD. "Some people cut words
into themselves. If they're having body image issues, they may cut the word
'fat.' If they're having trouble at school, it may be 'stupid,' 'loser,'
'failure,' or a big 'L.' Those are the things we see pretty
regularly.
--Unexplained cuts and scratches, particularly when they appear
regularly. "I
wish I had a nickel for every time someone says, 'The cat did it,'" says
Rosen.
--Mood changes like depression or anxiety, out-of-control behavior,
changes in relationships, communication, and school performance. Kids who are unable to manage
day-to-day stresses of life are vulnerable to cutting, says
Rosen.
Over time, the cutting typically
escalates -- occurring more often, with more and more cuts each time, Rosen
tells WebMD. "It takes less provocation for them to cut. It takes more cutting
to get the same relief -- much like drug addiction. And, for reasons I can't
explain but have heard often enough, the more blood the better. Most of the
cutting I see is quite superficial, and looks more like scratches than cuts.
It's the sort that when you put pressure on it, it stops the bleeding."
*www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/cutting-self-harm-signs-treatment?page=5
HELP
NUMBERS
For
help or more information contact any of the following individuals, groups, or
agencies:
--Guidance Counselors—
| High School | Katie Fistler | 421-4426 (Mason City Alternative School) | |
| Dave Jacobson | 421-4432 (Mason City High School) | ||
| Dusty Rhodes | 421-4432 (Mason City High School) | ||
| Karla Wymore | 421-4432 (Mason City High School) | ||
| Middle School | Sara Bucknam | 421-4423 (Roosevelt Middle School) | |
| Gina Friederich | 421-4420 (John Adams Middle Schoo) | ||
| Elementary | Sarah Despenas | 421-4406 (Harding) or 421-4411 (Jefferson) |
|
| Kay Erland | 421-4408 (Hoover) or 421-4415 (Roosevelt) |
--Family physician or local/area clinic
--Family services, social
agencies, or clergy
--Check the phone book under
“mental health”, “health”, “social services”, “hotlines” or “physicians” for
phone numbers and addresses.
An
emergency room doctor also can provide temporary help and can tell you where and
how to get further help.
FOR
AFTER HOURS HELP CALL:
24
Hours Daily—Confidential--Free
National Suicide
Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Teen Help Line:
1-800-443-8336
Teen Help Line is not a crisis
or “hotline”. The line provides health information & referral services for
Iowa teens.
If
you are thinking of harming yourself or know someone who is, tell someone who
can help immediately.
--Call your doctor.
--Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency room to get immediate help or ask a friend or family member to help you do these things.
--Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline number for the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
--Make sure you or the suicidal person is not left alone.
Helpful Links for More
Information On Cutting
Teen’s
Health
www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/feeling_sad/cutting.html
Discovery
Health
http://health.discovery.com/centers/teen/cutters/cutters.html