Mental Health Awareness Thread

[Giantone]

Originally Posted by BaltimoreSkins

So this weekend we discovered that our 14 year old has been cutting her arm. We have been open with her that we will go through her phone and discovered that something was going on. She then wrote a speech and there was a subtle mention of it in the speech. We talked to her last night and learned of the myriad of pain she is in. She carved the word ugly into her arm as well as just typical cuts you associate with cutting. I don't know how much she provided and how much she was still hiding in terms of emotions and physical pain.

There is so much guilt here. Both my wife and I work in education. We are trained to see signs and completely missed them with our own daughter. Working on getting her counseling but in the mean time we are going to get her to meet with school social worker.

Seeing you kid in pain is soul crushing.

The only advise I can give you is just be there for her. As educators you and your wife are trained to see the signs in other people kids not your own. Being a parent is hard and they is no one way to do it or one right way, you just have to be there and do what you can for them. My girls are all grown now but I went through some things when they were younger and no one did the same as they others. I know this might not help but time really does heal things.