What is Self-Harm and How to Cope with it?

Self-harm is defined as someone deliberately hurting themselves without wanting to die. It is sometimes called deliberate self-injury or non-suicidal self-injury. Engaging in self-harm may not mean that someone wants to die. It is a behaviour that is used to cope with difficult or painful feelings.

People who self harm is dificult to express their feelings that is why they commit self harm to express their emotions. They are the types of people who has suicidal thoughts that can lead to serious medical emergency. Here are some examples of self-harm: Cutting the skin with sharp objects, Taking an overdose of medication or drinking poison, Burning the skin, Hitting the body with fists or another object, Punching walls or other objects, Scratching or picking the skin resulting in bleeding or welts and Pulling out hair.

Here are some tips in dealing your own self harming behavior: Talk to someone you trust, Recognise when you do and don’t self-harm, Distract yourself, Have a diary and Get help. Here are also a few tips to help someone who has harmed themselves: When you talk to the person, try to be calm, open and honest, Let the person know that you support them and listen to them express their feelings, Help the person make a plan about what to do when they feel like self-harming, Encourage the person to get support from health professionals like their GP or mental health professional and offer to go with them to their appointments if they are scared or uncomfortable and Don’t forget to look after yourself.