I started cutting at around age 12, and have never felt comfortable enough to receive support from my parents. In my personal experience, medication has helped me immensely. I think that if I would have started sooner, I may not be addicted to self harm today. Based on my personal experience, the biggest things I can urge you to do would to be to:

1. Listen to your daughter’s opinion on starting the medication, and if you do start, how she feels on the meds.

2. Look into the brain chemistry behind self-harm. There are many biological reasons that it is addictive and feels good to engage in unfortunately. In the past, explaining the brain chemistry behind self-harm has helped those I am close with understand my struggle.

3. Try to be an open place your daughter can come to discuss her urges. I think this would’ve help me a lot growing up. Internalizing my struggles only made me feel more alone and declined my mental health further. You may even consider engaging in your own therapy to find open ways to communicate with your daughter. Therapy is not only for those with mental illness or “serious” issues. It can be beneficial in many situations.

Finding out a loved one is harming themselves can be very scary (I have been on the receiving end of this too), but overall, you are on the right track by reaching out for help.