A local weekly newspaper recently ran an article on teenage cutting. I was surprised and pleased, since this is a near-epidemic problem among teens and it's something nobody talks about. The article interviewed a couple of ministers and a local Rabbi, who offered good perspectives. But I felt compelled to write a letter to the editor in response. I thought I'd share it with you:
To the Editor:
I want to commend the Sacramento News & Review for its coverage of cutting and self-harm among teenagers.
As a psychotherapist working with teens for the last 11 years, I believe this problem is near epidemic. When I worked as a child and adolescent crisis intervention counselor, a large number of teens I saw had engaged in cutting or other forms of self harm. Many school administrators and counselors reported to me that the problem was rampant.
I appreciate Rabbi Alfi’s perspective and her willingness to speak out on the issue. Yet I believe the phenomenon of cutting and self-mutilation goes far deeper than “a very private way of rebelling.”
Quite often, teens who engage in cutting are in severe emotional pain. All too often, that pain is rooted in physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or some other trauma.
Over the years, I have heard many teens say they cut themselves because the physical pain was easier to take than the emotional pain. Some teens cut so they can feel something, anything, after physical, sexual, or emotional abuse has left them numb. And, as Rabbi Alfi said, some teens cut or self-mutilate because it gives them a sense of control in a world that seems frighteningly out of control.
As noted in the article, cutting and self-harm can also become compulsive behaviors. Many teens have told me how difficult it is to stop. And many have reported that once they have stopped, they are afraid to start again, despite the on-going urge, because they fear they may not be able to stop again. It’s also worth noting that while cutting is most common among adolescent girls, teen boys also cut or self-mutilate for the same reasons.
I agree, as the article stated, that spiritual interventions can be an important part of healing. But in most cases, teens who cut or self-mutilate need psychological counseling, and often family intervention, so they can find healthier ways to manage, express and heal their emotional pain, and to gain a real sense of control and mastery over their lives.
The phenomenon of teen cutting is not new. But it is only in the last few years that it has been getting the attention that it deserves.
Finally, cutting and self-mutilation are not only teen behaviors. Over the years I have worked with many adult survivors of severe childhood trauma – particularly sexual abuse. It is an unfortunate truth that cutting and self-mutilation are not unusual behaviors among this population. Many adult survivors of child abuse practice self-harm for many of the same reasons that teens do.
They key, for both teens and adults, is to heal the pain and trauma that birthed these behaviors. I believe very strongly that with the right intervention, counseling and guidance, these wounds can be healed.
Ken Siegmann
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
Citrus Heights, CA
ken@insight-counseling.org
www.insight-counseling.org
(916) 367-2105
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