Dear Cutter

Dear Teen Cutter,

I have to be up-front with you and say that there is no easy answer to your questions. Please bare this in mind, but don't give up on yourself and your loved ones. Also, to hear what I have to say, you need to begin reading with an open mind.

First of all, I have also cut myself in the past and had similar problems as you. I understand the allure of it and what it can offer. My husband reacted in a parallel way as your family.
With that being said, you and I might have this in common but the reasons for it don't have to be similar.

What I have learned is that cutting is a coping mechanism. It can be used as a reaction to several things, whether they be a devastating event or a gradual change in yourself. What is so scary to everyone about this bad habit is that it's uncommon (but increasingly more common now), masochistic, and indicative of mental issues.

Note I said mental issues: this does not mean that you're psycho-crazy. And I also want to mention that no matter what you do, your friends had no right to threaten you into quitting. But they, just as your mother, have good intentions and sometimes go the wrong way about trying to help you because they are concerned about you.

Unfortunately, I'll bet that it's going to be next to impossible to convince them that your habit is good in any way.

My advise to you is to take your mom up on her "evaluation" idea. You can look at it like they're going to put you up in an asylum, but that's not how it works. For me, speaking to a psychologist is awesome. Everyday I leave I feel so great about myself. Basically what a "head doctor" does is listen to you about your problems. When you ask for specific help with specific problems (once you find out what they are) they'll help you along the way.

The best part, for me anyway, is knowing that they are completely non-judgmental of me and I can talk to them about whatever I feel like purging myself of.

For you, I think that a psychologist can help you figure out why you need cutting so badly and they can help you find a different habit to fulfill the purpose cutting has.

The really bad thing about cutting to keep in mind is that, like with any other bad habit, many people increase their intake/freqency of said habit. Looking back, have you increasingly cut yourself more often or more at a time? Even if you haven't that possiblity always linger.
Also, no matter how careful you are, cutting is dangerous because you have something sharp in your hand piercing your skin. No matter how clean or precise you are, you can't account for all the variables.

The biggest thing I want you to remember is that the main decision is up to you-- you have to make the decision to stop and get better/be happier. I wish you good luck and I really hope you see that cutting is something you should no longer continue.

Best of luck with everything,

jlofritts