I haven't read this yet… but looks interesting.
- Listen to their pain
- Ask questions
- Cutting can become a chemical addiction
- Find good Christian counseling for the student
- Encourage them spiritually
- Surround the cutter with encouragement
- Research cutting yourself
- Offer some alternatives
Read the article from Tim Schmoyer
Just had a read of the article, interesting but not to sure how helpful it is. Cutting falls under the broader category of self harm and people who suffer from this arn’t refered to as cutters in our health system, the mental health system has had a shake up in recent history of what are accepted phrases and terms to use, many phrases/names arnt used any more. Mental health is a very specific and specialised area people suffering from self harm are comonly very difficult to manage even in the controlled environment of a hospital. The article seems to make lite of a very complex issue.
I thought id say a few words about each dot point.
1. It is often the case that people who self harm (who are statisticaly more likely to be young males not females like the article sugests) wont verbalise that there is an issue until only the scars of their actions remain. It is a very secret and private act which is often not verbalised, my understanding of self harm and the limited exposure iv had at work, is that it can also be an act of empowerment in which they feel expresion through the act, there are also cases in which “cutting” prevents the act of suicide as cutting eases the urge to suicide.
2.I don’t think its likely any youth pastor can ever have enough experience in these issues to even attempt to ask these questions, questioning people with mental illnesses/disorders is a skill that takes years of experience and skill to be effective and actualy be of benefit, its easy to ask the question but then you have to deal with the reply, maybe the youth leaders role is a friendly ear to listen and not involve themselves to closely and be the hero like the article sugests.
3. An accountability system may be used here if there is a good relationship and the “cutter” has shared their story. Suggesting they take a cold shower whenever they feel the need to self harm is comonly used as a distraction.
4. I really disagree with this, unless the christian counselor is specifically trained in self harm etc and not just marriage counseling, someone who is self harming can/should be reffered to the youth and young adults mental health team or YIPPI at NSCCAHS for assessment. These services see hundreds of these patients every year, whereas a christian councilor may see several. In chatting to people with similar situations a common feeling expressed to me is that christian councilors arnt as helpful as they could be, this may be due to lack of experience/ knowledge in the area.
5. Point 5 in the article i dont think gives self harm the recognision it deserves, God can do all things yes, but self harming is an illness and God doesn’t choose to heal all illnesses, tread carefully as self harmers are psychologicaly fragile and if their God isnt making them better after all this prayer than thats just another thing in their life that is letting them down.
6. I wouldn’t advertise to a big group that someone is self harming.
7, sounds good
8,ok.
Intersting article but i really do think if this stuff pops up it should be refered to appropriate health services and not christian counselor’s,
oi jon – thanks heaps for the reply!! some good stuff in there… you really should start your own blog again!
let me reiterate – i hadn’t (and still haven’t completely) read the original article.
peaceout