Self Harm
What is it?
Self-harm is when you hurt yourself as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, painful memories or overwhelming situations and experiences. Some people have described self-harm as a way to:
Express something that is hard to put into words
Turn invisible thoughts or feelings into something visible
Change emotional pain into physical pain
Reduce overwhelming emotional feelings or thoughts
Have a sense of being in control
Escape traumatic memories
Have something in life that they can rely on
Punish themselves for their feelings and experiences
Stop feeling numb, disconnected or dissociated
Create a reason to physically care for themselves
Express suicidal feelings and thoughts without taking their own life.
After self-harming you may feel a short-term sense of release, but the cause of your distress is unlikely to have gone away. Self-harm can also bring up very difficult emotions and could make you feel worse.
Even though there are always reasons underneath someone hurting themselves, it is important to know that self-harm does carry risks. Once you have started to depend on self-harm, it can take a long time to stop.
Ways people self-harm
Cutting yourself
Poisoning yourself
Overeating or under-eating
Exercising excessively
Biting yourself
Picking or scratching at your skin
Burning your skin
Inserting objects into your body
Hitting yourself or walls
Misusing alcohol, prescription and recreational drugs
Pulling your hair
Having unsafe sex
Getting into fights where you know you will get hurt
Support
LifeSIGNS - http://www.lifesigns.org.uk/first-aid-for-self-injury-and-self-harm/
Offers first aid advice for self-injury and self-harm. LifeSIGNS does not encourage the use of self injury, they simply accept that self injury is a coping method for some people at this time, and they do encourage people who are determined to self injure to do it in as safe and controlled way as possible to minimise harm.
Calm Harm - https://calmharm.co.uk/
Calm Harm provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm. You can make it private by setting a password, and personalise the app if you so wish. You will be able to track your progress and notice changes.
How to use Calm Harm - https://youtu.be/JDgdXjEoB2Q
Harmless - https://harmless.org.uk/
Support services, signposting and advice regarding self-harm.
NSHN (National Self-Harm Network) - https://nshn.co.uk/
An online support forum that provides crisis support, information and resources,
advice, discussions and distractions. It is available 24/7 and is closely monitored.
Self-injury support - https://www.selfinjurysupport.org.uk/
Support services, self-help resources, support groups and urgent help available.
Mental Health Foundation: the truth about self-harm - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/truth-about-self-harm
A booklet for those who self-harm and those who are supporting someone who is self-harming.