silent.no.longer
January 28th, 2011, 01:14 PM
I found this online and thought it was important becuase we do have rights and it's important for us to remember that.
SI Bill Of Rights. Part 2 of my book Many people don't know that we, self-injurers, have a bill of rights. One time I showed my best friend these rights and she laughed and said, "y'all don't have rights." that hurt so badly because well, she was my best friend and because it make me feel like I wasn't human just because of the way I coped with my problems. It took me a while but I realized I am human just like everyone else and I have rights.
The first right is The Right to Caring, Humane Medical Treatment. self-injurers should receive the same level and quality of care that a person presenting with an identical but accidental injury should receive. In other words, you should get the same medical treatment as anyone would.
Next, The Right to Participate Fully in Desicions About Medical Treatment. When a person presents at the emergency room with a self-inflicted injury, his or her opinion about the need for a psychological assessment should be taken under consideration.
Third, The Right to Body Provacy. Visual examination to determine the extent and frequency of self-inflicted injury should be performed only when absolutely necessary and done in a way that maintains the patient's dignity. You have the right to hide what you wish unless it is required by law that you be examined.
The Right to Have the Feelings Behind Self-Injury Validated. The person who self-injures usually does so in response to distressing feelings, and those feelings should be recognized and validated. What you feel is what you feel, and it's real.
The Right to Disclose to Others that Injuries are Self-Inflicted Without Obtaining Permission of the Person Involved is your sixth right. Although, exceptions can be made in the case of team-based hospital treatment or other medical providers when the information that the injuries are self-inflicted in essential knowledge for the proper medical care.
Sixth, The Right to Choose What Coping Mechanism You Will Use. No person should be forced to choose between self-injury and treatment. Out-patient therapists should never demand a patient to sign a no-harm contract, instead, client and provider should develope a plan for self-injurious impulses and acts during treatment.
The Right to have Care Providers Who Do Not Let Their Feelins about Self-Injury Distort the Therapy. Those who work with clients who self-injure should keep their own fear, revulsions, anger, and anxiety out of the theraputic setting.
Almost done. Eighth, The Right to Have the Role of self-Injury Validated as a Coping Mechanism. No one should be ashamed, admonished, or chastised for having self-injured. Self-injury works asa coping mechanism sometimes for people who have no other way to cope. Although it is hard sometimes not to feel ashamed of what you do, you shouldn't.
Ninth, The Right to Not be Automatically Considered a Dangerous Person because of Self-Injury. No one should be put in restraints or locked in a treatment room in an ER solely because his or her injuries are self-inflicted.
Last but not least, your tenth right is The Tight to Have Self-Injury regaurded as an Attempt to Communicate, Not Manipulate. Most people who hurt themselves are trying to express things that they can't say in other ways. Providers should respect the communicative function of self-injury and assumeit's not manipulative behavior until there is dear evidence on the contrary. The majority of self-injurers self-injure as a way to communicate on their skin what they can't communicate in words.
There are your rights. You should know these. Remember them. If someone tells you that you don't have rights, they're wrond. Completely wrong. Youa re human just like the person telling you that you don't have rights.
SI Bill Of Rights. Part 2 of my book Many people don't know that we, self-injurers, have a bill of rights. One time I showed my best friend these rights and she laughed and said, "y'all don't have rights." that hurt so badly because well, she was my best friend and because it make me feel like I wasn't human just because of the way I coped with my problems. It took me a while but I realized I am human just like everyone else and I have rights.
The first right is The Right to Caring, Humane Medical Treatment. self-injurers should receive the same level and quality of care that a person presenting with an identical but accidental injury should receive. In other words, you should get the same medical treatment as anyone would.
Next, The Right to Participate Fully in Desicions About Medical Treatment. When a person presents at the emergency room with a self-inflicted injury, his or her opinion about the need for a psychological assessment should be taken under consideration.
Third, The Right to Body Provacy. Visual examination to determine the extent and frequency of self-inflicted injury should be performed only when absolutely necessary and done in a way that maintains the patient's dignity. You have the right to hide what you wish unless it is required by law that you be examined.
The Right to Have the Feelings Behind Self-Injury Validated. The person who self-injures usually does so in response to distressing feelings, and those feelings should be recognized and validated. What you feel is what you feel, and it's real.
The Right to Disclose to Others that Injuries are Self-Inflicted Without Obtaining Permission of the Person Involved is your sixth right. Although, exceptions can be made in the case of team-based hospital treatment or other medical providers when the information that the injuries are self-inflicted in essential knowledge for the proper medical care.
Sixth, The Right to Choose What Coping Mechanism You Will Use. No person should be forced to choose between self-injury and treatment. Out-patient therapists should never demand a patient to sign a no-harm contract, instead, client and provider should develope a plan for self-injurious impulses and acts during treatment.
The Right to have Care Providers Who Do Not Let Their Feelins about Self-Injury Distort the Therapy. Those who work with clients who self-injure should keep their own fear, revulsions, anger, and anxiety out of the theraputic setting.
Almost done. Eighth, The Right to Have the Role of self-Injury Validated as a Coping Mechanism. No one should be ashamed, admonished, or chastised for having self-injured. Self-injury works asa coping mechanism sometimes for people who have no other way to cope. Although it is hard sometimes not to feel ashamed of what you do, you shouldn't.
Ninth, The Right to Not be Automatically Considered a Dangerous Person because of Self-Injury. No one should be put in restraints or locked in a treatment room in an ER solely because his or her injuries are self-inflicted.
Last but not least, your tenth right is The Tight to Have Self-Injury regaurded as an Attempt to Communicate, Not Manipulate. Most people who hurt themselves are trying to express things that they can't say in other ways. Providers should respect the communicative function of self-injury and assumeit's not manipulative behavior until there is dear evidence on the contrary. The majority of self-injurers self-injure as a way to communicate on their skin what they can't communicate in words.
There are your rights. You should know these. Remember them. If someone tells you that you don't have rights, they're wrond. Completely wrong. Youa re human just like the person telling you that you don't have rights.