Can a person get in trouble for talking about cutting? At my church, I was told if I even mention to the pastor that I hurt myself or cut, he could call the law on me. He said that he was bound by law to report it even if I e-mailed him or text messaged him that I cut. He's afraid that I might go too far and die and he would be accountable to the law and to God for not reporting it. And since he don't have a counselling degree, he can't talk to me much either, he says to see a shrink. I've talked to a shrink before and all they say is that my problem is a spirituall problem and to talk to the pastor of find another church. So basicly if I were suicidal, cutting, or depressed I'm suppose to not talk about it and cover the cuts (I'm not suicidal or cutting at the present), at least that gets the pastor off the hook? I thought people kind of accepted cutters not want to kick them out of church. So, the law can now tell me and pastors what we can and can't say anymore?
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Kristen.NewCreation and FreeinChrist
can a person get in trouble for cutting?
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I don't think that it's so much that by law you have to report cutters...but he probably doesn't want to risk something going to far and having it on his conscience...since technically a person can be put on a 72 hour psych hold if they are a threat to themselves or others...
My old pastor knew i cut..but he didn't report me..i don't know, i guess people don't know how to handle it so they don't want to 'go there' ...
that's one huge reason i don't tell people if i'm tempted to cut, or that i have in the past...i'm terrified they'll see me as a threat and put me in a hosp, or worse, take my kids away..even though that's probably irrational
My old pastor knew i cut..but he didn't report me..i don't know, i guess people don't know how to handle it so they don't want to 'go there' ...
that's one huge reason i don't tell people if i'm tempted to cut, or that i have in the past...i'm terrified they'll see me as a threat and put me in a hosp, or worse, take my kids away..even though that's probably irrational
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servant4ever
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I have just graduated from seminary and we talked about this. If someone comes to us and we have knowledge they are going to harm themselves or others, we are to contact the proper authorities. If you talk to the pastor and he calls the authorities on you for cutting, you won't be arrested; rather they will place you under 72 hour watch in a hospital. From my understanding you aren't to call authorities unless it's your last chance to make sure the person will be alive. I hope this helps.
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Silver-winged Flyer
I take the road less traveled
I don't know about the laws in America but I told my pastor that I cut and he kept it confidential even though my psychologist goes to my Church and he could have told him.
This doesn't have anything to do with the law but if you speak to somebody and they think you are a danger to yourself or others, I think they would try to get you to go to hospital for your own sake, it shouldn't be because they want to protect themselves.
This doesn't have anything to do with the law but if you speak to somebody and they think you are a danger to yourself or others, I think they would try to get you to go to hospital for your own sake, it shouldn't be because they want to protect themselves.
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mizzchez
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I've heard about that too.
I used to run a site for self-harmers, and to support them. (no-one in my church knew I was a self-harmer, and still don't). One of my youth leaders saw the site I was running and had a chat with me, telling me it was wrong and that cutting was 'the devils fault'. She told me that everyone who cuts was doing it for/because of the devil. Since then I've been scared to even talk to any of my youth leaders about it. If I was anywhere near letting them know, I'm not now.
I used to run a site for self-harmers, and to support them. (no-one in my church knew I was a self-harmer, and still don't). One of my youth leaders saw the site I was running and had a chat with me, telling me it was wrong and that cutting was 'the devils fault'. She told me that everyone who cuts was doing it for/because of the devil. Since then I've been scared to even talk to any of my youth leaders about it. If I was anywhere near letting them know, I'm not now.
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Silver-winged Flyer
I take the road less traveled
Not everybody will react in the same way and I'm sorry that you've encountered people who have been negative towards your suffering. I have huge support from a couple of people in my church who I've told.
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Christians don't want to help me because I hurt myself and they are to report me and think it's a mental illness. Shrinks don't want to help me because they say I have a real spiritual problem and they don't want to talk about God. So it is back to me and Jesus and I end up shutting people out. 6 billion people here and I'm not close to anybody.
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I just cut myself but have nobody I could call and talk to about it. I've been seriously depressed all day and tried praying a bit but don't feel anything but sad. Sorry
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No need to be sorry hun, but you do have all of us to talk to.
Praying for your situation to change
Praying for your situation to change
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I wore bandaids part of today to hide the cuts today and nobody asked what happened (mostly because we have alot of cats and some kittens that are a little wild I guess family thought the cats got hold of me). I split yesterday because it is too painful to be me (Debbie). So now I'm another alter. I guess somebody should have told Debbie about God's love. But when I got to mom's I was told my great niece had a stillborn baby at 21 weeks, so that got my mind off my problems. So now we are sad for their loss and I don't know what to say to be any comfort to her since she wasn't a christian.
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dreamchildattucus
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I go to a christain college and live in the dorms. i haven't gotten kicked out, but i have made some moves in a positive direction, and my RA (residance assistant) and school counselor feel as if i am getting better. but they never even mentioned kicking me out...
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Evenstar253
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That's awesome. I went to a Christian college, and I was kicked out of the dorms for self-injury and an eating disorder at one point and very, very nearly kicked out of school altogether (the last straw being reports of an incident that never actually occurred, but of course I was told I was a liar when I denied it). I was only allowed back by agreeing that the behaviors would never take place again (so utterly realistic, as we all know). They couldn't find medical grounds to kick me out, so it was framed as a disciplinary issue. Much to his credit, the associate dean actually apologized to me a year later for how the situation had been handled. Still, it made for a nightmare of a college experience. I'm glad to hear that not all Christian colleges are like this
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How do I just "get over it" the feelings of depression and wanting to cut? I should be happy, I have a new grandson. I don't want to get kicked out of church. Odd thing, I thought churches were suppose to accept a misfit like me.
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Silver-winged Flyer
I take the road less traveled
Unfortunately you can't just get over it, it can be a long and painful process as I have discovered.
You can get medication to help with depression but I'd really suggest you get counseling to help you deal with the causes of your depression and self-harming.
Is there not a Christian counselor that you can go to?
You said that people want to say that you have a mental illness, the truth is that depression is a mental illness. Just like we can have things go wrong with our physical body, things can go wrong with how our brains work too, eg chemicals.
Having a mental illness doesn't mean that you're crazy.
You can get medication to help with depression but I'd really suggest you get counseling to help you deal with the causes of your depression and self-harming.
Is there not a Christian counselor that you can go to?
You said that people want to say that you have a mental illness, the truth is that depression is a mental illness. Just like we can have things go wrong with our physical body, things can go wrong with how our brains work too, eg chemicals.
Having a mental illness doesn't mean that you're crazy.
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Good christians aren't suppose to get a mental illness or be cutting. I get that at church. I'm somehow suppose to fix it, quote verses, be happy, and fit in like the rest of the happy peppy christians. The pastor questions if I'm even saved since I have trouble fitting in and being like others. If I knew how to fix my problems, I would have done so years ago. Instead church people make me feel inferiour, not good enough, not even fit to watch the nursery. In the mean time, I'm having trouble understanding where God's love and grace suppose to come in this. Maybe God would love me more if I were more normal and be like other people at church. The church pastor told me that it was alright for preachers to hit me when they pray for me as long as they don't leave bruises or break anything. (I thought that borders on abuse). I didn't get an answer to my statement, so if they can hurt me, I can hurt myself as long as it don't hurt as much as they they me. The last time I cut didn't hurt as much as the preachers hitting me in the head when they prayed for me. (Actually they smack me on the head with a short prayer and walk off since I don't get slain in the spirit.)
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You really need to find a different church, sweetie... that is abusive!
God couldn't love you anymore than he does now, ill or not, you are completely loved and accepted. Please try to find a fellowship that reflects this love!
God couldn't love you anymore than he does now, ill or not, you are completely loved and accepted. Please try to find a fellowship that reflects this love!
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