Telling Your Doctor That You Self Harm... ((help needed soon!))

[ImperfectMess]

I have an appointment with a doctor (mental) coming up on friday and I have been trying to decide whether to tell them that I self harm or not...

I really do want to get help with it because I just seem to be cutting more and more often now and the other night I went really light headed with it.

But I am worried about what will happen when I tell the doctor. I am 17 and I live in England so I am not sure whether I would still be classed as a minor so whether that would mean they would have to tell my mum?

I also am wondering about what the doctor will do about the fact I only get the urge to cut when I am at home or around my family...I don't want to get into full details about why though, it's kind of complicated. I know I wont be able to get better while I am still at home but my mum still isn't over my dad leaving us 2 years ago so I can't face telling her I am moving out (not like I can afford it anyway)

I also have had Anorexia Nervosa for 2 years diagnosed but much longer undiagnosed. I am still struggling and mostly failing to get over that so the doctors are already worried about that...

[bambino]

I didn't tell my GP i self harmed, but after a referral to mental health services I told my counsellors that I self harmed at 15/16 and they didn't tell my parents.
If they think your family are triggers they'll probably try and talk about your relationships with relatives and how you can out of 'triggering situations' or 'negative environments' more often. Something like that.
Don't be scared to bring it up, people who suffer from EDs often self harm as well. Or vice versa. Either way they often come hand in hand.

Lots of luck, don't worry, be honest and be co-operative with them even if you don't like it initially, things will get better now you're taking the right steps towards recovery
stay strong x

[ImperfectMess]

It's not like a GP just to clarify, it is a psychiatrist but they are part of my GP's surgery.

Thanks for the advice and the support, I'm glad I found this place :)

[love is louder]

if your posting this then i guess your thinking that you want to tell them, so do it. i chickened out on my first therapy appointment and i got really upset with myself over it.

i think its over 16 that they have to tell your parents but dont quote me on that
if your unsure. ask them? you should of been asked to sign a confidentiality agreement that says they cant

good luck in what ever you chose to do

[xktx]

It may seems alot to worry about to start off with. But maybe telling them would be a good idea. You don't know. It might help x

[Syvelocin]

I can't say that they won't tell your parents, but they shouldn't. The confidentiality covers self-harm. Not suicide though. They will tell your parents if you're suicidal, but yeah, they shouldn't say anything about self-harm. Everyone is different though. No professional has told my parents, but I've had school staff I confided in tell them, that's expectable.

I say 100% tell them though. That's what they're there for. Anything you think they should know, anything that would be useful for them in treating you, is good for them to know. My psychologist knows more than a lot of my friends and family do, and a good professional will not judge you based on it.

[ShadowGirl]

I would tell them. They will do their best to help you stop cutting.

[georgiamay]

I think you should tell them. They won't tell your parents, I've told my GP about it before and he didn't tell my parents. I wasn't asking for help, He just asked about the scars on my thighs, I told him, and he just moved on. He asked if I was seeing anyone about it, I said yes, and that was the end of it.

GP's can't tell your parents unless they think you're suicidal in the sense that they think you might actually go through with it.