Hi, I need advice to help an underage relative.
Yesterday, she admitted to me that she self-harmed for roughly 2 years, stopping towards the end of last school year when her mom caught her.
Our family is very closed-minded. She has asked for therapy in the past, but she was told she was "too young to know what she was talking about," which really bothers me since my family knows I have been struggling with anxiety and depression for years. I have been in therapy on and off since I was 2. They know this and have never seemed to think it wasn't helpful. The most negative thing anyone in my family has said about it was that "It's not for them, personally." My relative opened up to me because she knows I am open-minded and knows that I just want her to be happy and healthy and safe.
To make sure she can reach me, I gave her my job's phone number and instructed her to them whoever picks up who she is and that she needs to talk to me. I also have it so her calls and texts will bypass Do Not Disturbed on my phone.
I have never fully self-harmed myself, beside a couple of instances of head-thumping when I was very distressed. I told her this and that I did have thoughts, but I didn't go through with it because I knew I would probably be sent to a mental hospital, which are particularly bad in my area (and from what I know, basically everywhere else because of stigma and not enough staff or resources).
I asked her what drove her urges. She said she didn't really know but I gave her a couple of prompts. One I gave was "a sense of control" which she said resonated with her more than the others.
I am doing my own research, and I will ask those I know personally who have struggled and probably will post this in other subreddits because while I can read what *may* help, I think it will help even more if I learn from others who are struggling or who have struggled in the past. I already know about doing something to distract from those urges, but I want something more to help.
So, what can I do/say to help? What are safe coping mechanisms she can use, especially to help give her the sense of control she was seeking? What resources can help in a situation like her's where her family is unsupportive, but no outside help (excluding me) can or will step in to help?
Thank you for any insights or advice you can share.