How do I support my child or teen that self harms?

Allow your child/teen to be honest and be honest with them. Do not reply in anger or in a patronizing way. Allow them space enough to breathe and support enough for them to know you are there and you have taken notice and will not be leaving them no matter what. Help them seek appropriate help, that my mean a lot of different things dependon you and your child. Please do not call it a cry for help or suicide failed, it might be, but it might be something else. Learn and become educated as to why someone would choose self harm. One good resource beyond this site is, http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/cutting-and-self-harm.htm. Make a habit of talking to your child/teen daily about this and about positives, if you only talk to them about the negatives that is how you will become assosicated to them and they will not share the positives causing a potentially even harded connection between you two. Take any self harm seriously, and do not be afraid to take proactive steps as a parent rather than a friend. Seek help yourself as self care is as important for you as well.

You listen and offer support for your child or teen that self harms. Always make sure to get the right help that is needed.

Hey, and welcome to 7 cups of tea ! I will try to help you the best I can. Your child or your teen self harms ?

Ask them why they're doing it, what triggers their self-harm, is it bullying, stress? Comfort them, little things can help like, watching a movie while drinking hot chocolate for example, just little things they like doing may lighten up their mood. Talk to them, but don't make them feel uncomfortable by talking calmly for example. Little things can make a huge difference.

Try and talk and comfort them in everything they find difficult, Do not have a go at them for doing this but ask them about it and what brought it on and see if you can resolve the situation together over time. (This type of thing is something that can and will take time but together can ease the situation)

By helping them see that there are other ways to cope. Loving them and showing them that you are there for them if and when they need to hurt themselves. Showing them that you care about them and want to listen to their problems.

The first big thing is to not to judge your child/teen and to let them know that they are not alone. Also let them know there is help for people who hurt themselves and you are happy to help them find it when they are ready for it.

By being there for them. By asking if they're okay. Don't corner them, but give them your presence. Reassure them that have been through it. Perhaps not exactly but how it hurt you too. How you felt hurt. Don't give them already mature, push forward answers on how to deal with it. But give them a story they can relate to. So they don't feel alienated at home.

Support groups, definitely. As a teen who used to cut myself, I hated the very prospect of going to a support group. However, as my mom pushed me to go, I found myself better, Happier, even, and I didn't feel the need to cut anymore.

You can support you child or teen that self-harms by validating their feelings first of all. They are most likely using self-harm to block out emotional pain they are feeling or sometimes teens do this as a part of a group. It is important to know why they are self-harming and validate their pain. Then, if possible, you could get them some professional help where you child or teen can get strategies to use instead of the self-harming behaviors. I wish you the best.