Self-harm
Self-harm is a coping strategy used by someone to help them cope with negative emotions and/or just to feel something when emotions have become so painful the person becomes numb to all feeling. Some people tell us they are hurting themselves to avoid making a suicide attempt. Others report it allows them to feel they can control at least one thing in their life.
Most likely if you are reading this information, you are struggling with urges to hurt yourself and you are looking for help to stop. Maybe you’ve been “clean” for a number of days, weeks, months or years and today the pain or numbness has built up to a place where you no longer feel you can avoid the strong desire to hurt yourself.
Hurting yourself is not the healthiest option available for managing painful or negative emotions, or feeling in control of life. The risks include scarring, infection, shame, guilt, feeling alienated from others, and accidental death.
Talking it through with a counselor can be incredibly helpful – so please choose to chat with us now. If we are not available because we are talking with someone else, please use the links to find activities you can use to distract yourself or find substitution that will not cause you any physical damage:
