Ok so i have a couple of questions, i hope this is the best place to post this:
1: hypothetically if i were to have to go to hospital due to cutting too deep etc what would happen? Like would they just stitch me up or whatever asap + then let me go, or would they contact psyc or what? [this is in UK btw]
2: slighty strange but what if i were to go to hospital + then it turns out that it actually wasn't that bad + i don't need treatment. i don't want that to happen cos i'd feel stupid. i don't actually know when you're meant to get help. Like how bad something has to be to worry. Any1 know.
That's all, sorry for weird questions. Any help would be appreciated.
There are articles about wounds that need treatment etc in the first aid forum.
Whether they call a hospital psyc or ask to to say for them to talk to you further changes with circumstances/hospital/doctor.
My experience the hosp that i went to they didnt have a hosp psyc n i got sent to another one to talk to a doc n she phoned the psyc, she asked question and recommend me seeing a counsellor and sent me packing after that
it's worth getting it checked out even if there's a possibility that it's not as bad as you think, to be on the safe side. it depends on your state of mental health and the damage as to whether you then see the hospital psychiatrist and / or crisis team and probably also depends on whether you are already receiving treatment from the mental health services. though, i once went to a and e to have a wound stitched and it was very severe but i just said that i was only there to be seen to physically and walked out after being stitched.
Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do you want?
I think it might depend on the hospital, or maybe your age, i've known people just to go, get stitched up and be able to leave straight away, yet when I went I was made to stay while 2 psycs came and talked to me It was all a bit of a blur so I don't really remember what the difference between them was, sorry but one gave me loads of leaflets and a crisis card and some other stuff and the other spent about 45 minutes talking to me about what made me hurt myself and my home life and school e.t.c.
if you follow this link http://www.recoveryourlife.com/index.php?categoryid=180 there are 5 articles about what to expect in A&E and notes on hospital treatment e.t.c and the one i found most useful, reasons you might need to go to A&E (last article). But i would say if you are unsure go to the hospital anyway, just incase.
We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken
I know in the hospital I go to they make you see Psyc Emergency. But I'm in Australia so it could be completely irrelevant.
Point 3 on this link covers whether it needs stitches http://www.recoveryourlife.com/forum...d.php?t=127491
My rule of thumb is if you can see bubbles it should be stitched. If it wont stop bleeding or is deeper than the fat (bubbles) then it NEEDS to be seen/stitched.
- But I'm not a first aid advisor
Last edited by Lollirot : 15-02-2010 at 02:15 PM.
Reason: Addition
"Watch me fault her "you're living like a disaster". She said "kill me faster", with strawberry gashes all over"
You go into A&E and they basically asked you how you did it and what with and perhaps where.
They assess the wounds, and they will decide if you need steri-strips, stitches etc... and if it doesn't/it's too late, they will probably dress it for you.
Don't worry about going and not needed stitches and things, more often than not, if you feel you need them, you do, and if not it doesn't matter, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if you don't they can dress them and clean them and prevent a possible infection.
Anyway, they'll ask you a few questions about why you did it, ask you if you have any support, if you want to speak to anybody now.
Then it's up to you really, if you ask them not to contact anybody, they won't, not your psych, not your doctor. And if you don't want to speak to anybody, then it's your choice, and they'll let you go. (If you are over 18?)
I guess the exception to that is if you said anything to the hospital staff that they felt you were at big risk of taking your own life/repeating self-harm soon.
Also... When I went once it was too late for stiching, they did get in touch with the mental health services without asking, basically because the wounds were quite severe and they were reluctant to let me go without support in place. I guess also I wasn't very responsive... It depends on the staff you get/ how you behave really.
Last time I went it literally took about 15 minutes, I wasn't asked any questions really, just if I wanted to speak to anybody/ what I did it with, they stiched me up and let me go.
It's better to go and get checked out rather than being left with a big scar/ possible infection, than just being told you don't need stitches, trust me you won't look stupid.
~Beauty without intellence, is a materpiece painted on a napkin.~
Thanks guys. When i asked this it was hypothetical but then Monday night i did end up going to A&E. Didn't turn out quite how i intended in that i did intend to cause more damage than i did + i also intended that i'd go on my own + no1 else would be involved. But as it happened i got worried + told my friend who made me call my youth pastor who phoned an ambulance for me + then came to the hospital w/ me [it was all a bit unnecessary i think cos it wasn't really that bad but he said that cos i was still bleeding when i texted him he had to call an ambulance.] But anyway didn't get stitches but did get several butterfly stitches + 1 cut glued. + i did have to see the psyc guy who's gonna send his notes to my gp + camhs. Although i hadn't meant for any1 to find out + come w/ me i'm v glad they did cos i couldn't've done it on my own [i'm pretty shy + get really nervous]. Anyway you didn't really need to know all this but yeah thanks for all your help.
I know this sounds stupid but I used to get really frustrated with myself because I'd cut as bad as I could, be bleeding a lot and I'd go to A and E and not need stitches. I used to think 'how pathetic, this is the worst I can do?'
Now I hate myself for ever going that bit 'worse' as I can't go back.
Gem i know what you mean, that's pretty much how i feel. 1st time i've been to A&E for this. In some ways i liked it, which is stupid cos i was so scared + it was difficult + stuff. But the only thing [apart from me attempting to give up self injury for Lent] that's stopping me from rushing to do it again is that i don't want to have to make my friends do that for me again + idk how i'd do it w/o them. i'm also scared cos now i know that i can do the same as before + not actually have to go to A&E for it. Maybe i should tell my friends this?
