Your details
Female
Age:
18
The town where you live:
Worcester,UK
The service
Have you heard of the British Red Cross Skin Camouflage service before?
Yes
Do you think this service would be useful for you?
Possibly. I make an effort to cover up around children or some extended family members. I forsee occasions in the future where I might benefit from some camouflage.
You can come to a skin camouflage clinic if your doctor refers you to us. Would you be happy asking your doctor about this?
It depends on the doctor I was seeing.
Would you be happier using the service without involving your doctor?
Yes.
We ask under 16s to visit the service with an adult. Would you be happy to do this?
When I was 16 probably not however now I would.
If not, would you prefer to come:
Alone.
Do you self-harm, or have you self-harmed in the past?
Yes. I still occasionally SI.
Please describe your experiences , in as much detail as you are comfortable with
I started self harming when i was 11. It was progressive, starting with scratching and eventually progressing to using tools. It is definitely an addiction and as such I became dependent on it to cope during difficult times. Depression is common in my family and a combination of factors led to my depression. I was clinically depressed for several years and was barely able to function. It was a miserable time. I eventually had a break down in the last week of 2006 and was referred to psychiatric services after dropping out of college and having to go to casualty for stitches when I was in too much of a state to close and dress the wound myself. After intense therapy and medication I'm in a much better place. I'm equipped to deal with my demons and finished my A levels against all odds getting ABB in philosophy, biology and eng lit.
Before all this happened I was a grade A student. I was going to go to University and whatever. But now I know so much more about myself. I have a compassion and maturity that I would not otherwise have and self belief and a determination to move forward.
Self harm is still a part of my life. Its sort of a bad habit that I'm not quite ready to relinquish but I will one day.
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