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‘Seek help instead of romanticizing mental disorders,’ discussion concludes
Research has found that self-harm often begins at age 12 and continues into adolescence.
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Social media can be a significant source of anxiety and depression for teens and young adults. (Shutterstock/MichaelJayBerlin)
C
elebrity Ariel Tatum said that at one point in her life, she felt like she had lost her ability to feel, even though she was raised in a loving family.
That was when she resorted to self-harm, at the tender age of 13. She was confused when she realized she felt numb.
“I often hurt myself. I started seeking help when, one day, I attempted suicide. It took me by surprise, and I asked myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ I collected some of my pocket money to consult a psychologist without my parents’ knowledge,” the 23-year-old told an audience of psychology students at the University of Indonesia on Saturday.
She explained that, at first, she resisted everything the experts said. She hated the idea of being labeled with a certain mental disorder.
Later on, after consulting a number of mental health experts, Ariel was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD).
BPD is a mental disorder that impacts the way someone thinks and feels about themselves and others. This causes difficulties in regulating emotion and makes the sufferer experience extreme emotional reactions.
“I told my mom. She was, surprisingly, very supportive. I wrote a journal to help me understand my feelings. I considered taking a shower as a meditation, believing that the water washed away my anxiety. Every time I felt the symptoms relapse, I distracted myself by doing things I loved, like cooking,” she said.
