Self-harm is a way a person can express deep distress without others knowing. Self-harm is when you hurt yourself as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, old memories, or overwhelming situations and experiences. Self-harm in is self is not a mental disorder but a symptom of a mental health problem.
Self-harming behaviours include:
- Cutting, burning or scratching the skin
- Hitting themselves against objects
- Hair Puling
- self poisoning
- Swallowing or putting things inside of themselves
- Taking unnecessary risks such as unprotected sex.
- Staying in an abusive relationship
- Eating disorders
- Exercising excessively
- Substance misuse
- not looking after their own emotional needs
Signs of self-harm:
- Unexplained cuts bruises or burns
- Covering up even during hot weather
- Becoming very withdrawn
- Being secretive about eating and odd eating behaviours, and unusual weigh loss or gain
- Low self-esteem, blaming themselves of any problems and feelings of worthlessness
- Signs of hair pulling
- Signs of depression
- Alcohol and substance misuse
Some people have also described self-harm as a way to*:
- express something that is hard to put into words
- make experiences, thoughts or feelings that feel invisible into something visible
- change emotional pain into physical pain
- reduce overwhelming emotional feelings or thoughts
- have a sense of being in control
- escape traumatic memories
- stop feeling numb, disconnected or dissociated (see dissociative disorders)
- create a reason to physically care for yourself
- express suicidal feelings and thoughts without taking your own life
- communicate to other people that you are experiencing severe distress.
*http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/self-harm/about-self-harm/?o=6809#.VY7w3htViko
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