Should I show my friend my self harm?

[ChemKitten]

My friend knows I self harm, but I don't know if showing her is a good idea. There is no new, fresh cuts. Only scars. They are on my wrists and my upper arm. Please tell me what to do!!

And DO NOT tell me to stop. I don't want to and I will not stop cutting.

[Ennui.]

Hey there,

Maybe you can talk to her about what she'd prefer doing? For instance, since you are considering showing her, you can approach her one day somewhere private and ask her if you can show her the scars. That way, you won't just be showing her without warning, and you'd be giving her the option to say no. Maybe you can also tell her a bit about why you want to show her, such as that it'll make you feel less hidden or that you think it may help you get better support (or whatever your reason may be) so she doesn't think that it's just something random. But, if you think it will be beneficial to you to show her the scars, you can try it, but just make sure you ask first, just in case.

You don't have to hide the scars if you don't want to, though!

-Dez

Hey there,

I agree with everything that Dez has said. Talk to your friend about it before doing it so that she is given a chance to say no and so that she is aware of what is going to happen. It could be beneficial to talk to her about your reasons behind wanting to show her your scars as well. Also, showing someone your scars can be a really personal decision to make and so you have to be sure that you are 100% comfortable with your friend seeing your scars.

I am wishing you the best of luck.