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Hey there,

When my parents found out, they grounded me at first, too. They took away my phone and computer for a while because they thought that they had to practice tough love on me in order to get me to stop. Eventually they realized that I did need help though.

I think that maybe seeing a therapist or doctor about this would be a good idea. I know it can be very scary, but you're right that it's tough to stop. Someone like a therapist or doctor can get to the bottom of why you self harm and give you better ways to cope with what you're going through in a better way. It can really be beneficial and I know therapy has helped me a whole lot as well.

As for the self harm, this is a link to a list of alternatives to self harm. You can use these when you get the urge to self harm instead of actually cutting, because these are healthier, safer ways to cope. If one doesn't work, don't get discouraged. There are more out there!

Now, on to your parents. Even though they didn't handle the situation as well as they could have, I know that they did handle it the way they did because it came as a shock but they love you a lot and care about you, I bet they're worried. Maybe you can try and sit down with them again on a day when they are calm and try and talk everything out with them. If anyone else knows, you can take them with you for added comfort but you don't need to. It also may help if you plan things out before you go in there if possible, or maybe you can print out pamphlets on self harm too or borrow some books from the library on it so they can understand.

But, be honest with your parents about some of the reasons why you self harm and what you get out of it so they can understand you and what you're going through better. You can even tell them a bit of what you need from them, because they can be a support system once they understand better. If possible, try and understand things from their side as well.

Keep your head held high and stay strong, you can get through this!

-Dez