[hocus pocus]

I did speak to a few teachers about my self-harm. The first time, someone reported me and I hadn't told anyone but the counselor inspected my body and then called my mom. I denied it because I was only lightly scarred by then and we didn't speak of it again. The following year, a teacher told the counselor and two counselors and two school nurses had me take my shirt off so they could count each cut. They asked if I had harmed myself below my waist and I lied and said no because I didn't want to take my pants off.

My parents were both angry with me. They both had bad reactions, though I don't think many parents react well. A few years later, they learned about my past and started to understand why I struggled so much. Both parents came around in their own ways. I am close to my mom and I confide in her to a certain point, which isn't much at all but she's comfortable with mentioning self-harm here and there. I generally don't reply to anything she says that is self-harm related. My dad is okay but I am not close with him and he just kind of pretends like it never happened.

You said your parents are going to find out on Monday, so my advice to you is to write some things down to figure out what you want to say to them when you come home from school on Monday. You could also give a head's up to them, and tell them about your self-harm and tell them that they are going to get a call about it so they hear it from you first and not someone else. I know all parents are different, but it upset my parents that they heard about it from someone else and not me. You could always leave a note for them before you leave for school on Monday morning.

Your parents may not have the best reaction, so it will help to give them some time to think it over because this is going to be big news for them and they need to absorb it.

Keep us updated if you'd like.