Some people self-harm as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, painful memories or overwhelming experiences. Some people have described it as: “a way to express something that’s hard to put into words” “changing emotional pain to physical pain” It is thought about 1 in 15 young people in Britain have self-harmed Why do people self-harm? Anyone can self-harm. For some people it is linked to specific experiences. For others the reasons are less clear. Some people may think that it is attention-seeking, but they are wrong. Control Self-harm can be a way of feeling in control of your body. You may have experienced trauma such as abuse, and may self-harm as a way of managing these memories. Punishment Some people self-harm as a way of punishing themselves, for things they feel are their fault. You are not alone. You can always ask for help with self-harm, even if you can’t explain why you do it. Seeking help It is important to seek help if you self-harm. See your GP or a doctor following self-harm as you may need medical treatment. Types of self-harm Self-harm is a term used to describe a range of things that people deliberately do to themselves to cause harm: Cutting/scratching/biting/hair-pulling Banging/hitting/burning Swallowing poisonous substances or objects/ overdosing
Exercising excessively Over or under eating Neglecting self care Coping and distraction Talk to someone you trust Try breathing exercises; focus on your breathing Listen to music or go for a walk or run Make a note of the positive thoughts you have Hit cushions Hold ice cubes Clench and then relax all your muscles Write down your feelings Shout and dance Tear a piece of paper into tiny pieces Spend time with an animal Let yourself cry or sleep Understanding your patterns of self-harm Recognise your triggers What happened just before you self-harmed? Did you have particular thoughts? Did a situation, person, object remind you of something difficult? Become aware of the urge to self-harm Physical sensations such as heart racing, strong emotions, sadness, anger, repetative thoughts, unhealthy decisions This helps you take steps towards reducing or stopping Identify distractions Distracting yourself gives you time to reduce the intensity of the urge Distract yourself as soon as you feel the urge, or you become aware you’re hurting yourself Managing your urges to self-harm There are many reasons why someone might have urges to self-harm. Whatever the reason, we know that it can be distressing for you and that it
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker