- Friends & Family
- Mental Health
Sophie K. is the youngest member of the Icebreaker Run team. This team of 6 is running 3,101 miles from Santa Monica, CA to Arlington VA from May 15 – June 8, 2016 for mental health awareness.
I started cutting when I was in junior high and continued to self-harm through high school. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania my school and community never approached the subjects of self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders. Even after my friends raised concerns about my behavior to the school guidance counselor, little was done to help me.
That being said I never went to formal treatment or saw a therapist, and I was too ashamed to seek out help from anyone other than my best friend. My best friend got me through the worst of it and honestly saved my life.
Fortunately, I made it through college without inflicting harm upon myself. Yes, there were rough days and times I sat on my bedroom floor talking myself out of cutting, but I managed to avoid doing anything I would regret. The tattoo on my left forearm was a graduation present to myself for making it through college without self-harm and stands as a symbol for the last time I would voluntarily inflict harm upon myself.
Along with my own struggles, I have countless friends who have dealt with self-harm, eating disorders and addictions. I know what it is like to struggle and to be the friend trying to help someone who is struggling.
It is my hope that I can be the voice that I needed when I was growing up; someone to say ‘don’t be ashamed of your struggles. It’s okay to ask for help’. Someone to show that there is hope and light beyond the darkness.