SELF HARM RESOURCES

Professional Support

 

How to reach out:

There are many ways you can reach out to professional support, and it will vary depending on where you live and the type of health coverage available to you.  

 

Here are some options to consider:

• ask a family member to connect you with a doctor or counselor

• talk to a school therapist/counselor.

• talk to a teacher who can connect you with a school counselor, and from there outside resources.

• make an appointment with your GP (General Practitioner)

• go to your university health services - either mental health OR physical health.  Both can connect you with helpful resources.

• search online for therapists in your areas.  When you call, ask about what insurance they take and payment options/prices available.  Some will be more able than others to accomodate finacial constraints.

• talk to a leader in your spiritual community.  They may have community ties and knowledge that can help you find support.

• make an appointment to see a psychiatrist.

 

This is some basic information on what sort of help may be available to you in your community: http://www.recoveryourlife.com/index.php?categoryid=65

 

What to Expect:

Preparing to talk to a medical provider about your mental health.

 

Going to your general doctor:

Talking to your GP about self-harm

A GP talking about what it's like to see a GP about self-harm. (short video)

 

Therapy (talking):

When to go to therapy, what to expect, and confidentiality rules.

What to expect at the first session of therapy.

What to expect from Therapy - first session, and later ones.

Is it "Bad Enough" for me to go to therapy?  What to expect from therapy in general and at the first session.

 

What to expect from psychotherapy.

More about Psychotherapy.

 

Psychiatry (meds & diagnosis):

What to expect at the first meeting with a Psychiatrist (short and concise)

What to expect & tips to prepare - more in depth.

 

Confidentiality

In most cases,

almost everything you say to a medical professional is kept strictly confidential.  There are a few exceptions:

• There is a reasonable suspicion of child abuse or elder adult physical abuse

• There is a reasonable suspicion that you may present a danger of violence to others

• There there is a reasonable suspicion that you are likely to endanger yourself unless protective measures are taken.

• For reasons involving a court - ex: the court can compel your therapist to testify, your lawyer introduces your state-of-mind in a trial...

When discussing self-harm, the idea that a therapist can break confidentiality when they consider you a risk to yourself is typically most concerning.  What does this really mean?  What is "risk?"  Self-harm is not reason for a therapist to break confidentiality unless you are risking severe and life-endangering damage from your harm, or they think you are an imminent risk to your own life (ex: suicide plans or impulses that are a current concern).  It is rare for people to be hospitalized for self-harm alone.  Typically, self-harmers who are hospitalized were exhibiting other symptoms that put them, or others, in danger (most often they were actively suicidal).

 

NOTE: This is just confidentiality in GENERAL - it may vary depending your location and age.  However, you always have the right to ask about the doctor/counselor/psychiatrist's condifentiality policy.  Confidentiality is discussed at the first session when you sign the paperwork, but you can bring up any questions you have whenever they arise, no matter how long you have been seeing this person.

 

Things you might want to ask:

• I know most of this is confidential, but I was wondering what sort of instances would lead you to break confidentiality?  

• If you broke confidentiality, what would that look like?  Who would be informed?  

• How much information would they receive?  Everything?  Only some things?  

• Would I be informed of who was told, and what they were told?  How soon would I find out?

• What would be the purpose of you breaking confidentiality?  What would you be hoping to accomplish by telling someone else?

• Hypothetically, if we talked about ___ or ___, would it still be confidential?

• I know that you have to break confidentiality if I am at risk to myself, but what would that look like?  Where is the line between me being "safe" and me being at too much of a risk?