Self-harm is one way that some people try to cope with overwhelming feelings. It can take several different forms, such as deliberately cutting or burning yourself, scratching your skin, pulling your hair, overdosing, and other ways of hurting yourself. Some people hurt themselves several times a day, whereas others only do it when they’re under a lot of stress.
Some people are quite open about their self-harming behaviour, while others keep it secret and avoid any activities where their scars can be seen. People who self-harm don’t usually want to end their lives, although some can have thoughts of suicide. Sometimes, but not always, people who self-harm have experienced trauma in their lives.
It can be really hard to stop self-harming, because self-harm can bring a strong sense of relief. This can be hard to resist when you don’t know how else to cope with overwhelming feelings. However, the most important thing to know is that you shouldn’t judge or blame yourself.
Self-harm is one way that some people try to cope with overwhelming feelings. It can take several different forms, such as deliberately cutting or burning yourself, scratching your skin, pulling your hair, overdosing, and other ways of hurting yourself. Some people hurt themselves several times a day, whereas others only do it when they’re under a lot of stress.
Some people are quite open about their self-harming behaviour, while others keep it secret and avoid any activities where their scars can be seen. People who self-harm don’t usually want to end their lives, although some can have thoughts of suicide. Sometimes, but not always, people who self-harm have experienced trauma in their lives.
It can be really hard to stop self-harming, because self-harm can bring a strong sense of relief. This can be hard to resist when you don’t know how else to cope with overwhelming feelings. However, the most important thing to know is that you shouldn’t judge or blame yourself.
It’s common for people to harm themselves in some way, by smoking, drinking, eating too much or not enough, exercising too much, or working too hard. But for some people, self-harm is more severe and can become a problem.
Here’s a helpful video about self-harm produced by Mind, a mental health charity.
Whether the person tells you, or you think someone might be hurting themself, it can be difficult to know how best to approach the situation.
Understanding the triggers What leads you to self-harm? Increasing your understanding of the situations, feelings or thoughts that are likely to trigger the urge to self-harm can help you begin to make changes. Find other ways of coping Make a list of the things you enjoy and build these into…
A ‘safety list’ of solutions that might help you to stop self-harming
A self-help guide people who deliberately harm themselves and wish to do something about it.
This brief self-help guide was developed by the Lothian Psychological Interventions Network. It provides information on what self-harm is and some tips on how to manage it.
An exercise in helping you find a balance in life and actively putting those positive activities back into your life.
We all have to cope and manage with change in our lives for lots of reasons. Here are some tips and thoughts on navigating through a period of change.
If you feel tense a lot of the time, you can try learning some relaxation skills, as these should be helpful.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a psychological therapy based on the relationships between what we think, what we do and how we feel. CBT teaches you how to recognise and tackle problems in the here and now, rather than in the past.
If you, or someone you know, is in crisis and in imminent danger of causing harm to themselves or others, call 999 immediately
