Should my mother be concerned about my brother's girlfriend's cutting behavior?

I figgured I'd ask the adults about this.

For the past several months, my brother's girlfriend Heather has been living with my family. She moved in after her mother got yet another new boyfriend and moved to Texas. Both of them will be moving out soon and going to Texas where Mathew, my brother, will try to find a job as a mechanic. Heather however has taken up the past time of cutting herself with sharp objects for no particular reason that I can see. I would assume this is fairly common. My mother has privately expressed a concern about it to me and I wanted to know, if this sort of thing danerous and or a bad sign. According to Mom, Heather's mother before she left said she believed that it was simply a way for heather to get attention. Last night she came home in a stupor with cuts up and down her arm. What does this mean?

 

It means she is sick and needs help, quickly.


It's not common, it's a mental illness. Not a way to get attention. Not a past time.

She needs to see a mental health counselour sooner than later.

 

Many people who self-mutilate have been sexually assaulted either as children or adults. Usually though it is a childhood assault. The pain of the assault is more than you can bear. By self-mutilating you are still in pain, but you are in charge of how much and when and where. It's strange that causing pain helps you deal with pain, but it does. As Brighid said, she needs help and quickly. If she doesn't learn more positive ways to work through her pain, she could end up being suicidal. Tell your mom to help her quickly. But in a nonthreatening way. If she feels threatened she will only cut herself in places that don't show.

Kathi

 

Definitely get her help. She is hurting emotionally and taking it out on herself. Some people who self cut are actually punishing themselves because they don't think they're good enough or something like that. You need get her some help so she can start loving herself again.

 

Being a past cutter myself for about 4 yrs or so, when i was in my teens, i was abused physically and it made my pain go away.However now i def regret it, i have scars all over my left arm and right leg.
I can def say she needs some counseling! However i never told a soul, and always kept them covered up.
So i do find it a bit odd that shes openly showing or expressing her damage to herself. My foster sister did the same thing last yr, i felt just aweful because i think from my past mistakes she followed. But we found out after sitting and talking with her that she just wanted more attention from us. Wich she stopped right after our talk.
Your mom needs to sit down and talk with her, and your brother. She might be scared to move and think that this might help her stay with you guys.
Just a thought...

Good Luck

 

Yes. Mom should be concerned. This lady needs some help. If only someone she can talk to.