Based on 291 community votes, the most popular answer to “My Friend Revealed Self-Harm—Do I Break Her Trust?” is “Tell her family about the self-harm” — chosen by 23% of voters.
Category: relationships • Theme: Loyalty to a Friend vs Duty to Their Safety
I’ve been friends with her for more than a decade, and we’ve always shared everything—at least, I thought we had. A few weeks ago, she showed up at my apartment out of the blue, barely able to meet my eyes. After some coaxing, she broke down and confessed that she’s been self-harming again, something she struggled with back in our college days. She swore me to secrecy, saying she couldn’t handle her family or her boyfriend finding out—she was so ashamed, she just needed someone to talk to. I promised I wouldn’t say anything, and I meant it at the time. But now, I see the cuts on her arms when we hang out, and I can tell she’s getting worse. I’m terrified that something awful might happen to her if she keeps spiraling. Part of me wants to call her sister or even get her boyfriend involved, but the other part can’t forget the panic in her eyes when she begged me not to tell anyone. I’m so scared—scared for her, scared I’ll betray her, scared I’ll lose her either way. I lie awake thinking, what’s the line between keeping a promise and trying to save somebody you love? What would YOU do?
Join the debate and cast your vote at Life Theater.