What is self-harm?
Self-harm is when an individual engages in behavior where they intentionally hurt themselves. Many times, the individual is feeling immensely overwhelmed and does not know how to cope with their intense emotions. These individuals may feel an immense amount of pain and may engage in self-harm to gain a sense of control. The act of self-harm may also add to intense negative feelings an individual is experiencing, fueling the cycle. Many people who engage in self-harm are not suicidal (though some may be); they are looking for a release for their emotions.
Types of self-harm
- Cutting
- Scratching
- Burning
- Banging head against wall/surface
- Pulling out hair
- Picking scabs
What can I do instead of self-harming?
There are many activities that can be done instead of self-harming. Different coping mechanisms may be utilized at different times, depending on what is going on at that moment.
- Breathing techniques
- Grounding techniques
- Change triangle
- Distract yourself
- Exercise
- Call a friend
- Arts and crafts
- Watch television
- Take a freezing cold shower
- Scream really loud
- Scribble on paper
- Click here to read more
Where can I go for help?
- To Find Love on her Arms
- “To Write Love on Her Arms is a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and invest directly into treatment and recovery.”
- Self-injury Outreach & Support
- “As part of a collaboration between the University of Guelph and McGill University, we are a non-profit outreach initiative providing information and resources about self-injury to those who self-injure, those who have recovered, and those who want to help.”
- Adolescent Self-Injury Foundation
- We are a non-profit organization created to offer hope in the recovery process for adolescent and young adult self-injurers and their families. We strive to raise awareness and create positive outcomes for this hard-to-reach population. We provide resources to navigate the journey towards wellness and recovery.
