Helping yourself
If you are somebody who uses self-harm as a method of coping, the important thing to realise is that you are not the only one. Many people self-harm.
It is also important to know that many people have overcome their problems, found other ways to deal with their feelings, and have stopped self-harming. Some have needed help to do this, and for some it has been a long process complete with ups and downs. However, it is not something you have to do alone - help is available for people who self-harm.
Talk to somebody you trust (e.g. parent, grandparent, brother or sister, friend, teacher, school nurse, social worker, youth worker). Or, if you don't feel able to tell someone that you know, there are lots of organisations that can offer you confidential support and advice. See contact info for more information of agencies that may be able to help.
When you feel ready, it may help you to go and see a mental health professional or a counsellor to help you to resolve the issues that lead you to self-harm. They may help you to explore the reasons for your self-harm, develop new methods of coping, and other means of communicating and expressing your feelings.
There are also many things you can do to help yourself. You could try out some techniques to try to stop yourself from self-harming, or to minimise the harm you cause yourself. The list below provides some suggestions. Different people find different things successful depending on the situation, so if one technique doesn't work, try another.
If you are thinking about harming yourself, try to think about other things:
- concentrate on the objects around you, and the way they look, sound, smell, taste, and feel
- breathe slowly - in through the nose, out through the mouth
- count down slowly - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0
- phone and chat to a friend
- listen to music, draw, or read
- take part in some physical activity, such as walking, running, exercising, or playing sport
- write down your negative feelings on a piece of paper and then tear it up
- look at some self-help websites.
If you still feel like harming yourself:
- punch a punch bag or some pillows to vent your anger or frustration
- use a red felt pen or lipstick to mark your skin rather than cutting it
- plunge your hands into a bowl of ice cubes (but only for a short time) or rub ice on the part of the body you feel like injuring
- put a rubber band around your wrist and flick it when you think of cutting yourself.
Contacts
The contacts database contains details of organisations that may be able to offer information or assistance on this issue.
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