Self Harm: Discussion, Information, & Support

[Mega Lya]

Hi guys. I'm Liz. I struggled with self-harm for about four years, but I'm currently in recovery. I hope this thread can be of support and counsel to you. Don't ever forget. You ARE loved.

“You are loved, you are valuable, you are crafted with beauty and purpose. I treasure you and this world needs you. There is no one like you. You don’t need to look like the rest or talk like the rest or be like the rest. This world needs you as you are. There is no trth in the lie that you don’t matter.You are loved. You were put here for a reason. You were not an accident. You are not a mistake."
- Curt Maga

Basic Information:

Self harm is a way of coping with deep stress, pain, trauma, or abuse. Although self-harm is more known than it used to be, there are still stigmas and misinformation about self harm which causes those who self harm or have dealt with self harm not to want to open up about what they're going through which makes the situations worse and makes people feel even more isolated than they already feel.

If you self harm: You are NOT weird, different, wrong, or bad. You are far from it. Yes, self harm isn't the best choice--but there are a lot of less-than-best choices out there. It's a way you cope--there are better coping mechanisms--but that you chose self-harm as your coping mechanism does not make you a bad or wrong person.


What's your name?
If you are comfortable, would you like to share some of your story or why you're here?


If you are in distress or thinking about harming yourself in any way, please call or chat:
YLYV hotline and chat
1-800-273-TALK
1-800-334-HELP

[Mega Lya]

Reserved.

[Mega Lya]

Information:
TWLOHA
Self Harm Information
selfinjury.org
helpguide
selfharm.co.uk

Need to talk?
YLYV - Chat, voice, and email
Hopeline - Chat, voice, and email
IMalive - Chat
New Hope - Chat
Crisis Chat - Chat
Kids Help Line - Australia only, chat and voice

Suicide & Crisis Lines
Several Numbers

[Mega Lya]

1) Draw, paint, color, doodle
2) Write, Journal
3) Make something for someone
4) Go shopping
5) Eat yummy food
6) draw with red where you want to harm yourself
7) hold ice to your skin to where you want to hurt yourself
8 ) read
9) watch Americas Got Talent (cause it's awesome)
10) Watch TV
11) exercise
12) clean your room
13) walk your dog
14) try to walk your cat
15) dress up
16) organize
17) sing
18 ) listen to music
19) go to the movies
20) take photos
21) dance
22) cry
23) cook
24) hang out with friends
25) paint your nails
26) take a bubble bath, shower
27) clean your windows
28 ) wash your car
29) wash your neighbors car
30) post in the chatterbox
31) call a hotline
32) watch youtube
33) read givesmehope.com, sixbillionsecrets.com, damnyouautocorrect.com, parentsshouldnttext.com, fmylife.com, etc.
34) ride your bike
35. crawl around on the floor and try to see things from your pets perspective.

& Many more!
More distractions

[Mega Lya]

The butterfly project I have found to be an important tool in my recovery. Here are the basic rules:

1) Draw a butterfly (or butterflies) where you want to cut. You can actually draw anything--a heart, butterfly, dragon, caterpillar, anything.
2) You can name the butterfly after someone you love or just let it be what it is.
3) The goal is not to self-harm. You cannot wash the butterfly off or self-harm while the butterfly is there. (You cannot self-harm anywhere on your body)
4) If you do end up self-harming, that means you've killed the butterfly. But, you can always start again and redraw the butterfly and name it the same as you did before or something else.

The butterfly project is not about winning or losing. It's about recovery. It's been an important factor in the key to recovering for me, and maybe it can help you.

More information on the butterfly project is located here.

[Mega Lya]

What is self-harm?
Self harm is a coping mechanism, such as cutting, burning, hair pulling, etc. to deal with extreme emotions such as trauma, abuse, or death.

Why would someone hurt themselves?
Again as I said previously--for things such as trauma, abuse, or death--but there are many, many more reasons than just those. It's a complex issue. If someone was abused, they often might feel it was their fault that that happened to them so they take it out on themselves because they might not feel anyone else would understand. If someone is not a self harmer and they got a bad grade on an exam or got in trouble for something--they might rely on crying, journaling, sleeping, or bicycling to release their stress. Someone who self-harms often don't have those coping mechanisms or those coping mechanisms are harder to use or don't work so they resort to self harm because they know it will help them.

Self harm doesn't help though, right?
It does and it doesn't. It doesn't help the situation by making anything better. It doesn't change anything. In fact, it causes more harm than good. But, in desperate times of need it can be like a release, unfortunately. Self-harm does not solve any of the problems but tends to put the problems in the back of their mind as they deal with self harm.

What should I do if I know someone who self harms or might be self-harming?
In general, most people want to know they're not alone in their struggles. This doesn't mean to invade their privacy. People have to go through their own paths of recovery--but it's still important to know that they have someone they can lean on if they need to. Offer help, support and love. Care for them. Pray for them. Be there for them.

[Mega Lya]

Mega Lya

I'll update this soon, I'm 23 now


I'm 19, a sophomore in college and studying social work hoping to work in a prison some day. I started self harming about two years ago when my cousin got really sick and it continued through the time after he passed away and I still struggle with it today, but I am working on my path to recovery. It's been a hard few years, having a suicide attempt and many times where I wasn't sure if I would need to get extra help. I got into counseling through a teacher of mine when I was a senior in high school and I continue to see a counselor who I have grown to love and trust. We are working on figuring out why I self harm and the deeper roots to why I started and still struggle. You all can always PM me whenever you are having a hard time, I am here to help any way I can. You deserve healing just like I do.

[Mega Lya]

Videos
Seal falling in love with human
Live Lip-Dub Proposal

Music
Storm Inside of You - Veronica Ballestrini

“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Walt Disney

“The start is what stops most people.”
Don Shula

[Mega Lya]

Quote:

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