TEEN QUESTION/PROBLEM:
I think I self-injured recently, but I'm not sure if what I did is technically considered self-injury. I scratched my arm with my fingernail enough to break the skin a little, but not enough to bleed. I have contacted teenline before through the website, and I'm sorry that I seem annoying, I can tell that you are sick of me. I told a friend who is two years older than me that I met through field hockey, that I used to self-injure. She has friends that used to self-injure and I think she knows a lot about it. I told her that I think I have depression, but I didn't tell her how recently I have actually "self-injured" if that is what is what I have been doing. She is encouraging me to talk to our field hockey coach/ my old teacher. I went to go see her a week or so ago, just to visit and she could tell something was wrong and was very persistent in me talking to her. I told her I didn't have anything to talk to her about, but later I sent her an email saying that I really did. I know I need to talk to her, to get help, but I'm afraid, and I don't know how to tell her. Sometimes I feel like I don't want to get help or tell anyone about it. I have tried journaling, and that helped a little bit, for a while, but it doesn't really help that much anymore. I don't really see what is so bad about "self-injury" if that is what I'm doing. I'm not scratching deep enough to seriously hurt myself and it really helps me feel better when I'm stressed and upset. I try not to do it and I don't do it when I don't want to. I haven't done it for over 3 weeks, but I still want to sometimes. I don't know, I feel like I sound crazy, and I'm not really making sense. Well, now I've spent almost half an hour telling my problems to some stranger in Califonia who doesn't even care, but venting helps sometimes so whatever.

TEEN LINE WROTE:
Hi.
Thank you for contacting TEEN LINE. You seem to be really frustrated and afraid. This seems like a difficult situation to be in, and I think that it is great that you are trying to understand what is going on. It is wonderful that you are trying to get help, and we are always here to talk to you. You mentioned that you think that you might be self injuring yourself. Self injury can be really dangerous and scratching yourself can progress to more critical forms of harm. The next time you feel the urge to scratch yourself try snapping a rubberband around your wrist, or rub your arms with ice to releave your stress. You also said something about being depressed. Being depressed is really difficult and i think that it is really important for you to speak to somebody. Have you spoken to your field-hockey coach about what has been going through your mind yet? Speaking to a trusted adult such as your school counselor might be really helpful.

If you would like, Safe Alternatives is a 24 hour hotline that might be able to give you further advice and information. Their phone number is: 800-366-8288. You can also go onto their website: selfinjury.com.

Also, please feel free to call us here at TEEN LINE if you ever feel like talking. Our number is 310-855-4673. We also have live chat. You can get more onformation on that through our website: Teenlineonline.org.
I hope everything works out for you.
Good luck.
TEEN LINE Listener