[female, age 23, began to SI in 6th grade]

One supervisor has never said anything about it...I think she just blew it off. The other one was really concerned and caring. My friends have all mostly been worried. Sometimes I feel now like I'm under scrutiny for telling them, like they should check my arms. But mostly they have all been really caring. I am very careful in who I tell, though, before anyone finds out. My therapist asked me to sign a no-harm contract and to call her, crisis care or a friend, when I felt that bad.

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 23, began to SI in 6th grade]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 16, began to SI at age 13]

Well, if I tell someone who doesn't know already, I just act like it's no big deal and kind of make a joke out of it. They usually don't say much, they don't know WHAT to say.

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 16, began to SI at age 13]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 15, began to SI at age 14]

Most people react by telling me how stupid I am, and telling me how bad it is for me, and asking, why don't I just stop?

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 15, began to SI at age 14]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 14, began to SI at age 11]

Most of my friends were very supportive, being that I told only three of them. They said they had had an idea of what was going on, they were just waiting to hear me say it. My best friend promised she would always be there, and my other friend said I could call her to talk whenever I felt like cutting.

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 14, began to SI at age 11]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 18, began to SI at age 16]

Everybody reacts differently. Its weird. There are some people that I can't handle the way they act as though they know what is right for me just because I have this "psychotic" behavior or something. You just learn to deal with what each person individually can handle.

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 18, began to SI at age 16]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 14, has SI'ed for as long as she can remember]

When I tried to explain SI to her after we watched a T.V. show about it she called me a liar and said nobody really harms themselves unless the intent was suicide.

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 14, has SI'ed for as long as she can remember]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 15, began to SI at age 12]

They say I shouldn't and try to take my razor away sometimes. Once my friend Beka hit me on the knee real hard. I thought it was pretty funny. I just shrugged it off, I know they care about me, but they don't understand that it helps sometimes.

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 15, began to SI at age 12]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 15, began to SI at age 15]

They thought I was a little nuts, needed help, they were really worried. I dunno, it made me feel good that they cared, and I liked the attention but I didn't like that they were worried and upset and it pissed me off that they really wanted me to stop: like they were taking away the one thing that made me really happy.

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 15, began to SI at age 15]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 14, began to SI at age 13]

She told me I shouldn't do it and she was worried about me. It made me feel even worse because I felt bad because she was worried about me.

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 14, began to SI at age 13]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle

[female, age 15, began to SI at age 13]

Her mother said "Are you okay, maybe you should take to someone, what's wrong with you, obviously you don't respect yourself."

In Their Own Words Information

Person: 

[female, age 15, began to SI at age 13]

Fri, 2009-04-03 23:34 — Gabrielle