Can psychiatrists tell your parents if you're cutting?
Yes
23%
[ 3 ]
No
46%
[ 6 ]
Not sure
30%
[ 4 ]
Total Votes : 13
Author
Message
Winged_shadow_girl
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 6 Location: ,
How Do I Tell? Posted: 10-14-07 22:52pm
Hi, I'm Erica and I'm new here. I got an
account for the sole purpose of asking
this question:
I'm 16 and have been cutting for the past
3 years. I'll get straight to the point,
I am seeing a psychiatrist (at my father's
request...long story) and things seem to
be going pretty well talking to him.
However, I haven't told him about my
cutting.
My biggest concern is, can he tell my
parents if I tell him? I want to tell him
and get help but I'm scared about
confidentiality issues and such. I'm NOT
trying to attempt suicide or anything, so
that's not an issue. If he tells my
parents, things will only get worse,
causing me to cut more...which is not
good. Please help if you have an answer
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2393 Location: ,
Thanks: 111
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Under Age Posted: 10-19-07 08:40am
You are still considered a minor and if I
am correct the confidentiality clause does
not get inforced in this instance. So, I
would say yes, he probably will have to
tell your parents. But, that is not the
end of it. If you are considered to be a
threat to yourself or anyone, there is a
law in place that allows a medical
professional to take steps to put you in
an in house physiactic facility for
evaluation. Thought I might let you know
that. You have to be up front and honest
if you truly want help. That means telling
ALL. That is the only way to the road to
recovery for anyone.
I am not saying this to scare you by no
means. I have worked the field and also
have been on the other side as a physc
patient. If you want the help and really
mean it then you have to come clean.
Carrie
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rosejackson
Supporter
Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 4351 Location: hertfordshire, england
Thanks: 7
Thanked:11
Posted: 10-19-07 13:37pm
usually they're supposed to be
confidential
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2393 Location: ,
Thanks: 111
Thanked:156
Posted: 10-19-07 16:42pm
I really don't think it applies with a
minor. Might want to check. Most of the
young kids I dealt with (ages 6 threw 17),
the parents were aware of the situation
and was able to join in on the
intervention sessions. Most phsyciatrists
or counslers prefer the parents to be
there so the patient knows that they have
their support and love. If the teen holds
back on some issues, then of course the
problem goes unsolved which is a shame.
They are avoiding the reall issue and the
possiblilites of geeting help. Most of the
sessions are with the patient only and
then time set aside for family
intervention.
Carrie
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Winged_shadow_girl
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 6 Location: ,
Posted: 10-20-07 18:27pm
Thanks for helping me out! I want help, I
really do, but not under those
circumstances. Yes, I love my parents,
but I don't think this is something they
really need to know about me. When my mom
even THOUGHT I was doing it once, she got
really mad at me and looked like she was
about to kill me. I can't imagine her
reaction if she found out that I really am
doing it. I just don't think she'd
understand if I told her. I don't want to
disappoint anyone else...I'm already
enough of a burden on her as it is.
I don't know, I'm just a little iffy about
the whole situation. I can see it getting
way out of hand if anyone ever found out.
I guess from here, I just have to hope for
the best...
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2393 Location: ,
Thanks: 111
Thanked:156
Opposite Recaction Posted: 10-20-07 22:23pm
I am really sorry to hear that. I also
have had parents of kids in the same
situation and believe it or not, they have
no idea they are doing so much more harm
then good with the recovery of any mental
illness. Unfortunaltly, I have found that
most of these kind of situations where the
parents are not in loving support and
intervention, counseling and recovery
seldem work out well. That support has got
to be there. Look at you, afraid to tell
because for fear of them rebeling on you.
It such a shame when you are crying out
for help and the people closest to you
have no clue how to ( and the correct way
) to handle it. My heart goes out to you
and it looks like if this is the case, You
are going to have to be the one, if you
really want to get well, going to have to
be strong and do this on yor own. And
there is no reason on earth why you can't.
You know what you are doing is wrong and
that is the first step to getting well.
Try taking some more baby steps toward a
happier life.
I am by far not saying your parents do not
love you. I am sure they do. They just
don't know how to handle this situation
the proper way.
Carrie
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flyingsolo
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 6
Posted: 10-21-07 21:33pm
Yes, they're required to tell your
parents, on the other hand I strongly
doubt they will place you in a separate
psychiatric facility. Also, when my
parents found out they still never sat in
on my sessions with a psychiatrist because
I didn't want them too and my psychiatrist
never once forced me or even mentioned
having my parents sit in on my sessions. I
never got "caught". I was the one who told
an adult- the only adult i ever trusted-
and I knew this would eventually lead to
some one telling my parents but at that
point I felt I didn't have much of a
choice left. Fortunately for me the adult
I told really did the best to find a way
that I was comfortable with dealing with
the process and did his best to make me
feel that I was the one in control. If you
have an adult like that you feel you can
really trust, and will help you through
this in a way you are comfortable with
whether or not they are your psychiatrist
I strongly recommend you tell them because
this will make your road to recovery a
hell of a lot easier.
For your situation it sounds like the best
way to let your parents know is by having
them talk to a psychiatrist directly
without you present, so that way their
immediate reaction won't be directed at
you, and they will have had some time to
think about it before seeing you.
Also, to be perfectly honest, if you tell
them you will probably always regret that
you had to let your parents know, since in
the long run I have found hurting others
to be a lot worse than hurting myself. But
at the same time it will relieve you of a
lo t of pressure since you won't have to
make as much of an effort about hiding it
anymore or being paranoid about people
finding out. So looking back I will tell
you although it is the hardest step of the
process and you might not be glad in the
end that they know, all in all it is fully
worth it because it will enable you to get
the kind of help you need the fastest and
will really ease your way to recovery.
Good luck and keep up your courage.
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2393 Location: ,
Thanks: 111
Thanked:156
Bravo Flyingsolo Posted: 10-21-07 22:50pm
Please research information before giving
it out. You have to be very careful not to
unknowingly mislead someone. Just my
concern.
This is your personal sitution with your
family and may not be that of others.
Everyone has a different set of parents
that take different situations with
different attitudes. IMHO you are making
him already scared more then he should be
if his parents found out. How are they
supposed to help if they don't know what
is going on.
Quote by Flyingsolo: "Also, to be
perfectly honest, if you tell them you
will probably always regret that you had
to let your parents know, since in the
long run I have found hurting others to be
a lot worse than hurting myself."
Carrie
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xxbbbrittany
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Posts: 57 Location: ,
Posted: 10-26-07 19:12pm
the best way to recover is to have support
in helping you because if no one knows
then you have no one to talk to about it
and the stress and pain dont go anywhere
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haleyx0
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 8
Posted: 12-30-07 01:21am
I'm 14 and my therapist is under a
contract that says she can't tell my
parents anything unless i'm homicidle,
suicidle, or sexually abused. So they
probably can't say anything. Asking might
help though.
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rose_liz
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 10 Location: ,
Posted: 12-30-07 01:33am
i think that its confidential. but even
if your parents do find out, its probably
better that they know and help and support
you. its always better to have family and
friend help
