Tags
anxiety, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, bpd, bullying, child abuse, childhood mental health, counselling, depression, eating disorders, emotional wellbeing, exam pressure, Hearing voices, hope, mental health, mental illness, moving away from home, mutual support, need to talk, ocd, Panic Attacks, peer support, personality disorders, positivity, psychiatry, psychology, ptsd, Rape, recovery, Schizophrenia, school worries, self harm, self healing, self injury, stress, Substance misuse, suicide, Support groups, therapy, trauma, university pressure, young people's mental health
Self harm is often seen as “attention seeking” behaviour and presented by teenagers when in fact it is seen in children, teenagers and adults of all ages and is a behaviour that people develop as a coping skill often to traumas and difficulties they have been through.
I have been self harming since I was 13 years old. I have been in and out of recovery with self harm nearly 20 years.
Some days I have these terrible urges to self harm and I am able to fight them, it’s finding distractions and coping strategies that work for me. I find writing, reading, colouring, creativity, talking to a friend or a professional, looking at photos, listening to music, pampering myself and sharing my experiences with others helps me.
I attend a self harm group where I meet with other people in similar situations and where we can share coping strategies and personal experiences and where you don’t feel alone with what you go through.
I have written a message for those struggling:
Those of us who are battling the self harm journey and are struggling, remember this; you have inner strength and can get through this one step at a time. Love yourself and remember recovery takes time and perseverance and hope. You can get there, I believe in you.