question about "cutters"

Hotfornursing, RN · Oct 19, 2013

Poor nursing in my opinion, good news is this is the exception and not the norm. My advice would be to blow this off, hold your chin up high and walk away, you have OVER COME, congrats!!! I will be starting my long awaited psych nursing career next week, my nursing moral philosophy includes compassion, understanding and most importantly CAUSE NO HARM!!! Good luck Sara, sounds like you are on your way to becoming a great nurse :nurse:

Retired APRN, MSN, RN, APRN · Oct 19, 2013

The unfortunate truth is that when colleagues see the scars on your arms, they are going to wonder if you are unstable. It is sad, but you will have to educate and educate and educate - including people who shouldn't need the educating. If you can manage to convey the message, "I had a debilitating condition and I overcame it. I rock!" you will be doing a great service both to the nurses you speak to and their future patients. Imagine how wonderful it will be when a nurse who worked with you can tell someone who is self-harming, "I know that you are suffering now. I also know that you can get past this. I once worked with someone who used to cut but is now a successful professional health care provider and doesn't self harm any more."

smoup · Oct 21, 2013

I think part of the issue is, for awhile, it was "in" to self harm and I think it made those who do it for emotionally reasons look even worse. It's not a "fad" or a way to fit in. It's a sign that person is in so much pain that they only want they can get it out is to physically harm themselves.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Oct 26, 2013

I think part of the issue is, for awhile, it was "in" to self harm and I think it made those who do it for emotionally reasons look even worse. It's not a "fad" or a way to fit in. It's a sign that person is in so much pain that they only want they can get it out is to physically harm themselves.

I have noticed this phenomenon with several other well-publicized disorders over the years---Hollywood makes something sound glamorous, and next thing you know you've got people "coming out" all over the place with the same issue. Depression was the 'in' thing for a while, and you know the drug companies were raking in the dough when everybody and his brother was going in to their doctors and coming out with scripts for Prozac.

Eating disorders have also been rising over the past couple of decades among a certain segment of the population, although young men are not immune. Now the trendy illness is bipolar disorder, which is overdiagnosed these days in part because some celebrities seem to need a new way to explain their bad behaviors. (Think Charlie Sheen, Mel Gibson, Britney Spears, Robin Williams etc.)

What Hollyweird doesn't get is that these conditions are REAL and cause untold suffering to those who actually have them. My oldest daughter used to burn herself with a cigarette lighter back when she was in her mid-to-late teens; even though we've talked about it in the intervening years, I still can't imagine what kind of emotional torment she must have experienced in order to touch a flame to the sensitive skin of her arms.

Now she's a 31-year-old mother of two, a strong, responsible and mature woman who doesn't bother to conceal her scars because "That was the past, it's over, and if someone asks me what they are, I tell them. It's no big deal." She hasn't self-harmed in over a decade, and unless a whole lot goes sideways in her life I don't think she ever will. She's learned a great many coping skills since then. :yes:

studentbear, CNA · Oct 27, 2013

I'm not yet a nurse, but I just wanted to say that I hope you have positive experiences from now on with your colleagues and other nurses. I have a history of cutting, too, and sometimes the reactions from people are frustrating. Also it is frustrating that we are stigmatized by it, since it is a part of us that can be very obvious. All we can do is show how awesome we are in spite of our past. Good luck!

wingding · Oct 27, 2013

So sorry you had that experience - those nurses are probably burnt to a crisp. When I have someone that is a cutter, my first is to question why & usually my next words are "Child, we need to find a better way to express those bad feelings - this isn't doing you any favors & it's not addressing the problem". I am not a cutter, so I really do not understand what motivates someone to harm like that, over & over again. YOU as a nurse can bring an insight to the table & an understanding that these people desperately need. The best thing I have found being a Psych nurse is that Everyone - no matter what side of the nurse station you are at - has problems, dysfunctions & struggle with anxiety, pressure, anger & depression. Those that deny it are lying to themselves. Everyone is just 1 or 2 events away from being a patient & we are not above any of those patients. Alcohol & addictions are a response to anxiety, anger & attempt to self medicate. Those with true mental health issues usually go off their meds, self medicate & then are back in the hospital. Ineffective coping skills is the norm & stay by stay, it is up to us to try to teach, help, nurse regardless if we can get thru to them or not. I leave the "will it stick" to faith & keep throwing positive guides & navigations at them. All the while, I learn how to guide & navigate my own rocky road (what's good for the goose & all that". Please do not let burned out nurses jade your choice to be a nurse. No matter what specialty you find, you have insights from your own experiences to help your patients on their road to recovery. Let yourself shine in nursing - you will never regret it!

Retired APRN, MSN, RN, APRN · Oct 27, 2013

Amen, wingding!

paufortaleza · Oct 29, 2013

I would be ashamed if this said "nurse" works in a psych facility, but.. still, whatever kind of nurse you are, you should not judge or look down upon on things like "cutting". Mostly this is frowned upon by society because its deemed as a "desperate cry for attention". Working as a mental health nurse and going though the same things as my patients gives me a better insight into what is going on in their head. Do not be ashamed of your old scars, they are a sign that you went though a hard time but got past it. Do not let them get to you, obviously this is poor judgement on their part.

Blur2713 · Oct 30, 2013

I have been a psych nurse for 5 years now. I also was a cutter in my younger years and my arm was covered in scars. I eventually got a sleeve (tattoo) because I got tired of looking at it. Personally, I feel my scars/tattoos add to my story. My patients notice and feel more open and comfortable talking to me about these issues because obviously I know how they feel and can relate with them. Most think it is a call for attention or help. While some are just attention seeking, others do it for a release. Nurses need to remember they are suppose to "help" people and not be so judgmental to staff or patients. Keep your head up, be proud of where you came from and who you are now because you may help a patient one day. Maybe even help a judgmental nurse understand (and you will meet a whole lot of those!) Good luck in school.

TerpGal02, ASN · Nov 6, 2013

Oh my is there a stigma about cutters. I work inpatient with all ages, mostly these days with the children and adolescents. Almost ALL our adolescent patients cut and even in psych nursing, there is a stigma. It's the whole eye roll, "she's just doing it for attention". Not to mention that self harm is often seen as an immediate "axis II" label and IMO a lot of patients with PDs are just seen as dramatic, annoying and staff cringes when they hear "borderline personality disorder". Sure PD pts can try your last nerve but treating them poorly is unacceptable.

Not to mention the fact that it's "trendy" to he a cutter now. I can't tell you the last time I admitted a cutter that didn't have a whole group of friends that also cut. I am a reformed cutter. Virtually no one knows about it. I was always extremely careful to hide it (I cut my thighs). I didn't wear shorts for 10 years because of the scars. I've never disclosed that to anyone and hope I don't have to.

babynurse73 · Nov 7, 2013

I do wish that nurse hadn't said something like that to a student. But in defense of nurses that are deemed as judgmental, most of what I've noticed in my psychiatric nursing career is that nurses during report will comment on cutters and borderline personality disorders. Mostly because they juice down splitting and are very demanding and they're difficult to deal with. I think some of this is just to blow off steam as nurses. Most of the nurses I've seen that do this during report do not treat their patients badly. They do not show this judgment while they are doing their job. It's pretty much between nurses.