Self Injury Awareness Day
Often self harm is seen as a sign of mental weakness or attention seeking behaviour. Views such as these often delay and prevent the person resorting to harming self from seeking help. Self-harm is usually a sign that a person is having a tough time coping with their emotions. The term self-harm encompasses a variety of behaviors that may include but are not limited to cutting, scratching, burning, picking etc. People who self-harm may do so for following reasons. 1. To help manage unbearable emotions and symptoms 2. To help regain a sense of feeling (for those experiencing numbness) 3. To help relieve stress and pressure 4. To help feel in control 5. To reenact a trauma in an attempt to resolve it 6. To protect others from emotional pain What Can You Do? How you react if someone discloses their self-harm is extremely important. The news may distress you and you may feel overwhelmed with emotions. You may also feel confused, frustrated, guilty or sad. All of these emotions, plus