I am a 15 year-old girl and have just finished my Std. X board examinations. I am not bad at academics as I come first or second in class. I am mostly an introvert. I’ve been through a lot of problems since childhood and I am quite stressed. Sometimes I start breaking things for no reason. I hold myself responsible for everything and I keep regretting. I am depressed most of the time. Now I am slowly turning towards hurting myself. Sometimes I start acting weird (like kissing other girls). My only friend is a guy (who was my ex-crush and is my greatest competitor in academics) and he knows my problems. He suggests that I see a psychiatrist. But I am unable to take the matter to my parents (who think I am okay) as I don’t want them to be disappointed. Also they object to the fact that most of my friends are boys. My only support through all this is changing schools and I am left alone.
Stressed so much
Your friend’s suggestion is right. Bottling up your stress and using self-harm and rebellious behaviour as the outlet is not the answer, and you too have recognised this. Don’t underestimate your parents’ sense of awareness; they probably know something is troubling you but are unable to figure out what it is. Besides, if you’ve started hurting yourself, can you think of any convincing ways to explain the marks on your body? Parents are there to support you through times like this, so don’t feel bad about bringing the matter to them. You don’t need to tell the whole story, just enough to let them know that you need help (eg: you’re feeling very stressed and depressed and don’t know why). Then look for a psychiatrist or psychologist together, so that your parents can also get advice on how to tackle the issue.
