She and I have talked recently about the cutting. She said it was not only about getting my attention, but when she would have an anxiety attack, it would stop it. There's something about pain that short-circuits an anxiety attack. Same way some people snap a rubber band on their wrist to stop one.

There were only two times that I saw cuts (there may have been more...I don't know) and they were always on her left upper arm. She wears tank tops, low rise jeans and shorts. So it would be readily visible. And for a long time I would pop into her room and make me show body parts covered by clothing to make sure. It may not have been the best thing to do, but it was all I could come up with at the time.

The one thing that makes me think she's stopped is that she was talking to me the other day about a friend of hers. He got a girlfriend and the girlfriend basically told this friend that he had to choose her or his friendship with my daughter. He chose his girlfriend. She was crying and upset and told me that when he told her that, she felt like she had before when she would cut, but knew it wouldn't solve anything and she didn't.

My hope is that since the that circumstances that lead to the cutting have changed, years have passed, she received help and her maturity level has gone up that this is something that is over.

Am I afraid that it may start again one day? Oh yes. But I'm trying not to focus on the future, fear and the 'what ifs'. All I can do is get through this one day at a time.