Cutting Friend

Q: "Dear Red, one of my best friends has been cutting for a really long time, and I'm always scared it's gonna lead to something worse. Her life is pretty difficult, she has strict parents, she's always grounded, and right now she can't see or talk to her current boyfriend. What do you think I can do to help her?"
A: Dear "Cutting Friend"
      There's honestly not a whole lot that YOU can do for her. This is a topic where this person needs to seek help themselves. If somebody tries to help them, and they don't want it, they push it away. It's a very tough situation to be in. Believe me. I just got out of this myself. It's a process, but it's worth the fight. What you can try to do, is just be there. Give frequent checks by texting randomly "how are you?" or "how has your day been?" And if she replies with negativity, try and make her smile. Also, if she confides in you that she is feeling the urge to do it, ask her if she has another distraction. Maybe listening to music, or running. If she channels her anger into something other than cutting, she could be much safer, mentally and emotionally. Hopefully my tips help. Goodluck to her, and you're an amazing friend to look out for her like this.  
                                                ~RedBlueGirl