How to tell your parents you need help.

[roxybaby]

The title says it all. Any tips anyone? My parents are ultra-conservative, and I know we don't have to money to get me to a shrink or anything, but how do I tell them I self-harm, and that I need their help and support to stop?

[Magenta]

I've always been one to suggest writing a letter about how you're feeling. You'll still need to be prepared for a face-to-face conversation but a letter is a good way of breaking the tension and apprehension about talking with them. Write out what you've been doing and why if you feel comfortable (since they'll likely want to know, regardless of their initial reaction). Maybe put it that you know about the money but you need their help and support to get you well. If it's in a letter, you can leave it somewhere so they'll read it when they have the time and aren't stressed or upset about other things. It also saves you from needing to figure out what to say all at once.

Hope this helped. :)

[Alexithymia]

There are a lot of ways to tell your parents. One of the easiest, but also most difficult, is writing a note. It's the easiest because you don't have to face them, but hardest because you don't know how they'll react. The best way, in my opinion, is to just talk to them about this. Why? Because it's easiest to packpedal if something goes wrong.

Then again, those are the two "basic" categories. Under note writing, I'd say two fall. Electronic and hand-written. Hand-written shows that it's important, while electronic is easier to do and get out your feelings. Each is important, so choose whichever you want carefully. Under directly talking, it's basically just that. You can do it with your mom, dad, or both. Depending on your circumstances, you might want to just talk to one of them.

I hope this helps. <3

[roxybaby]

How do I know which one of them would be best to tell first?

[FullyAlive]

which are you closest too?
Personally my dad knows nothing, he's old fashioned and would never understand so its between me and my mother. However I have some very understanding males in my life that i'm happy to talk to. I don't think any of us can tell you which one to tell first that's up to you. Consider your relationship with each and how you expect them to react.

Of course you could just tell them both together, that way you don't have to do it twice and they both know exactly the same, no confusion.

[roxybaby]

I'm so scared of how they're going to react. They're both very consevative and in the past have siad how people who cut themselves only do it for attention. But I'm not that way. And I don't want them to see me in that light. :(

[foreverautumn.]

^ try to think that, maybe, instead of them finding out and putting the "cutter" labels on you, it might make them rethink the stereotypes. They know you and know you are not those things. Good luck

[painful paradice]

i have no idea how they would react. i hide 100 percent of my life from my family and if they found out then there're no words to describe how mine would react