to think that people who self-harm deserve better treatment by hospitals?

[MilkChocolateTeapot]

Last week, I had an extremely messy, bloody and careless accident whilst cooking, and posted about my fears that, because of my "history" of self-harm, the medical servives would regard or treat my injury as self-inflicted.

They haven't. Not at all. I've been back to the hospital almost every day and seen different staff each time and each time have been treated with an almost embarrassing amount of gentleness, kindness and respect.

When I was self-harming, I would be treated brusquely, impatiently, dismissively and sometimes very rudely.

So, who deserves more respect - a tired and careless 30 year old woman with a loving and supportive family, or a terrified and distraught homeless teenager who is alone in the world?

The latter, surely.

[Meglet]

YANBU. I used to do it 15+ years ago and they really couldn't give a monkeys .

I would have hoped the medical profession had got some awareness of it by now.

[chandellina]

YABU. Should health professionals treat some idiot 18 year old who needs his stomach pumped from alcohol poisioning the same as a toddler who has accidentally swallowed something toxic?
No. Same here.

[secunda]

Well. Doctors shouldn't judge how the injury occured - the Hypocratic oath is to heal whatever. So they should treat all patients equally. But I can sort of understand how they might be pissed off when precious time is taken up by things that are essentially self-inflicted. I think they'd feel the same about someone with alcohol poisoning after a Saturday night bender. Not professional, but they're only human.

[Meglet]

chandelina So you have been fortunate to never feel desperate enough to hurt yourself ?

[MrsChemist]

chandellina, Some 18 year old that has overestimated their drinking abilities is nothing like someone who self-harms.

[Rosieeo]

It must be utterly frustrating for doctors and nurses to have to deal with self-inflicted injuries when there are patients who have had actual accidents.

So I'm not sure if YABU. A friend of mine was an A&E nurse and admitted that they didn't have a lot of time for drunks/paracetamol suicide attempts/self-harmers and the like.

[MilkChocolateTeapot]

After my experience, I don't buy that. My injury was fully accidental and yet utterly stupid.

[onepieceoflollipop]

I think that services vary from area to area (they shouldn't, but they do)

Where I work, on occasion I assess people who have self injured (eg in A&E). However, some of those people will have had mixed experiences from so called professionals in the past.

One of my closest and dearest friends used to sh a lot. She got a referral on the NHS to have some of her scars (very visible) reduced and she was treated with the utmost of respect and empathy.

However I also know people who have known judgment, uncaring approach etc.

[Ladyanonymous]

Drinking too much alcohol is self harm - most teenagers wouldn't get that drunk unless they felt like complete shit about themselves.

Nice post 8chandelina* lets just hope its never one of your kids who is the idiot eh?

[Rosieeo]

But not deliberate! We all do stupid things, but you didn't do it on purpose and divert resources from another patient.

[onepieceoflollipop]

Rosieeo I find your post quite offensive tbh. especially when you add "and the like" at the end.

Lucky you, to be able to judge and not to go through the experiences that some self harmers "and the like" have been through.

Actually, afaik the majority of self harmers take up very little NHS time. Many people dress their own wounds etc.

[whoingodsnameami]

It must be utterly frustrating for doctors and nurses to have to deal with self-inflicted injuries when there are patients who have had actual accidents.

IMO injuries from self harm are symptoms of an illness, no?

[secunda]

I don't think most teenagers drink because they think they're shit - they just underestimate it.

I have found that in general, it's only psychologists/psychiatrists and GPs who really 'get' mental health issues - the rest don't really get it and have only had one lecture on it in their entire career.

[Ladyanonymous]

Self harming is a mental illness

[thisisyesterday]

YANBU and the people who have said you are clearly know nothing about self-harm

i really hope that you, or anyone in your family never suffers from any mental health issues if that's the attitude that some of you have. self-inflicted ie a waste of time to treat.

nice

[Ladyanonymous]

As a drug and alcohol counsellor with under 18s secunda I really do beg to differ

[KarmaAngel]

By Ladyanonymous Tue 22-Jun-10 21:56:10
"Drinking too much alcohol is self harm - most teenagers wouldn't get that drunk unless they felt like complete shit about themselves.

Nice post 8chandelina* lets just hope its never one of your kids who is the idiot eh?"

I agree! My DSD has drunk herself into complete oblivion on more than one occasion and has ended up in A&E. She has a very good reason for feeling that low that she would do that to herself. How very compassionate of you chandelina.

[secunda]

ladyanonymous - Yes but if you're a counsellor then by default you're dealing pretty much exclusively with those who do have that issue. At university, most of my friends were perfectly happy in themselves, but either didn't realise how much they were drinking or were trying to 'keep up' with mates (usually boys)

[Rosieeo]

You find the phrase 'and the like' offensive? Fair enough. Would 'etc' or 'and other similar cases' be acceptable to you?

I fail to see where I judged. The OP asked a question; the response is bound to be based on an opinion. I didn't even really express an opinion!

[MilkChocolateTeapot]

I'm OK. But even though my injury was un-self-inflicted, it still cost the taxpayer in dressings and took time away from other patients.

[secunda]

you were in accident and emergency - that's kind of what they're for, to deal with accidents!

[Maize]

I have had a lot of A&E attendances with self harm (15+ - oh God thats hideous ) both through cutting and overdosing.

Honestly I was always always treated with a huge huge amount of respect and kindness. Sometimes I waited the full four hours to be seen but thats fine.

I remember feeling like I did not deserve such kind considerate treatment but looking back I absolutely did, I was in an utter mess and doing horrible things to myself and that kindness made it better.

Going to A&E with self harm is vile btw - very depressing and soul destroying.

I work for the NHS in front line services now and there is a difference between those seeking deserved medical attention for self inflicted injuries and those who are very difficult and attention seeking around their self harm. Both deserve treatment but the latter can be more challenging to deal with but that doesn't mean any staff should be rude or anything to them.

[Ladyanonymous]

I work in schools and deal with kids who smoke, to kids who drink a lot of alcohol on a regular basis to those who end up in A & E to those who self harm to those who take coke - at 14.

I think I have a pretty balanced view of the situation - and on what basis have you formed your opinion secunda other than your own high jinx at uni.

[Rosieeo]

I don't think that self-inflicted injuries are a waste of time to treat! [shocked]

I can understand why busy health care professionals may be frustrated by these cases though.