I searched through the forum, but couldn't find a related thread. I had one of those "it's crap being an adult" moments yesterday when my 14 year old daughter revealed that she had cut herself intentionally this past week.

I guess it's not something that you can really prep yourself for in advance in case something like this ever occurs, but I think it was a learning moment for both of us. My daughter said that she was unhappy in every sphere of her life, family (we're separated), school, friends, pressure of getting an apprenticeship, the usual teenage stuff I guess. So I did what everyone of you would have done and read what was out there in the world of "expert opinions and advice" on the intraweb and learned that this a pretty common teenager reaction. It would appear that self inflicted injuries are a cry for help, a "look at me, can't you tell I'm suffering?" plea rather than a genuine suicide attempt. Looking at the 4 specific cuts on her lower arm above the wrist it's obvious that they were not in any way deep or life-threatening and from the signs of healing I doubt she lost much, if any, blood, but the picture in my head is pretty strong and something which I challenge any parent to put into perspective when you know how much you love your kids. Dealing with my own perceived guilt and feelings of neglect are irrelevant now, this is about her and how to try and paint a more positive picture of her life and highlight the many talents that she has as an A-grade secondary school student.

I'm not looking for the "go to the nearest school shrink" or "get therapy" responses, I'm hoping that someone else who has experience of teenage self-inflicted injuries can share their stories and maybe tell how they managed to open a good dialog where there obviously wasn't one before. Talking freely and sharing your hopes and fears is the only way I believe that we can prevent this very sad and scary phenomenon from reoccurring.

There, a serious post with social, parental and child related issues all in one neat little bundle to brighten your Sunday morning.