Title: Self-Mutilation 
Feed: CWKN #387, May 28, 2008
Time: 1:43

SUGGESTED LEAD: ACCORDING TO THE U.S. SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, ONE IN TWELVE TEENS SUFFERS FROM DEPRESSION.  AND ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT MORE KIDS THAN EVER ARE USING SELF-INFLICTED PHYSICAL PAIN TO EASE THEIR ANXIETY AND SADNESS.  WHAT’S AT THE ROOT OF THIS BEHAVIOR?  CONNECT WITH KIDS TAKES A LOOK.
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SOT: Melissa Gerjoi, 18 years old (:02)
“I just wanted to do something, something that would just totally stop everything.”

NARR: AT THIRTEEN … MELISSA GERJOI (Prono: GUR-joy) TRIED TO KILL HERSELF WITH SLEEPING PILLS.

SHE LATER REALIZED SHE DIDN’T WANT TO DIE … SHE WANTED TO GET RID OF THE PAIN. (:10)

SUPER: Melissa Gerjoi, 18 years old (:16)
“For some reason, when I’d get depressed, I would just take a razor and I’d cut little slits in my arm.  And I don’t know why I did it, and I don’t know why it was any kind of consolation whatsoever.”

NARR: IT WAS AFTER HER FATHER DIED IN A CAR CRASH THAT MELISSA STARTING CUTTING HERSELF … IT WAS HER WAY OF COPING. (:07)

SUPER: Leslie Apfelbaum, Ph.D., Child Psychologist (:34)
“Sometimes kids are engaging in this behavior as a way of converting their intense emotional pain into the more tolerable physical pain.”

NARR: ACCORDING TO A STUDY BY THE C-D-C:  IN 2005, NEARLY A HALF MILLION PEOPLE WERE TREATED IN EMERGENCY ROOM FOR SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS … MORE OF THEM WERE TEENAGERS THAN ANY OTHER AGE GROUP.

EXPERTS SAY MOST AREN’T TRYING TO DIE … THEY ARE CRYING FOR HELP. (:19)

SOT: Leslie Apfelbaum, Ph.D., Child Psychologist (1:01)
“We actually call it suicidal gestures. A way of asking for help without actually doing something too harmful.”

NARR: A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR AS WELL AS LONG SLEEVES AND BAGGY CLOTHES TO HIDE SCARS ARE CLUES THAT CHILDREN MAY BE HURTING THEMSELVES … (:10)

SOT: Melissa Gerjoi, 18 years old (1:19)
“For the most part, I was covering it up and most people didn’t even know.”

NARR: PROFESSIONAL THERAPY CAN HELP UNLOCK THE EMOTIONAL PAIN…

FOR MELISSA, FAMILY SUPPORT AND TIME AWAY AT BOARDING SCHOOL HELPED PULL HER LIFE BACK TOGETHER … AND STOP THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF SELF-INFLICTED PAIN. (:15)

SOT: Melissa Gerjoi, 18 years old (1:39)
“I sort of stopped my life and went on and started a new one.”

NARR:  I’M COLLIN SIEDOR FOR CONNECT WITH KIDS. (:03)

SUGGESTED TAG:   LIMITED RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT “CUTTING” CAN ACTUALLY CREATE A PHYSICAL HIGH BECAUSE OF THE RELEASE OF ENDORPHINS. THIS CAN MAKE IT AN ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR.  TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SELF-MUTILATION AND WAYS TO HELP YOUR CHILD... LOG ONTO (LOCAL WEBSITE) AND CLICK ON THE CONNECT WITH KIDS ICON.