Self harm can be a scary thing to be addicted to, but never give up.

Self injury can come in many different forms, and ALL are serious. If you know someone who is hurting themself, please try to help them. If they have told you, they are putting a lot of trust in you and you should remember that it is hard for them and they may not always want to talk about it or immediately want you to know everything. Suddenly taking away the things they hurt themself with can lose their trust. You should be calm and kind with them. The first step, and maybe most important, is for them to make the decision to quit. Relapses do happen and that's okay, it's all part of recovering. Encourage your friends to take care of themselves and encourage them to quit. You may recommend a trusted adult to talk to, like a parent, family friend, school counselor, or therapist. Be there for your friend and don't shut them out with anger. If they are putting themself in serious danger or planning to attempt suicide, get help.

If any of you have advice on quitting with self harm, or what to do when a friend is hurting themself, please comment your opinions!

People who hurt themselves aren't attention seekers. Self injury is a way that some people cope with difficult thoughts, and isn't the same as a suicide attempt. In fact, many people turn to hurting themselves to avoid suicide and cope with sadness. Self injury can be a relief from negative thoughts for some people, but it is a harmful habit.

Some coping methods:
-drawing on yourself with marker
-rubber band on your wrist
-writing/drawing/talking about your feelings
-use music/art as a distraction
-exercising releases endorphins that make you happy, plus it makes your body work hard and sports pain is better than hurting yourself
-draw on yourself where you want to be hurt
-go hug a friend
-talk to someone about something nice
-use a pillow to hit a wall
-smash clay or play-doh
-hold onto a stuffed animal or something soft so your hands can't hurt yourself
-talk about how you feel with someone you trust
-start a journal about your feelings
-do henna tattoos
-put Elmer's glue on your hand and you can pick it off when it dries without hurting yourself

Comment any other coping methods you know of!

My story with self injury:
I fell into the habit of self injury with picking at my skin and scratching myself and it's been a struggle for several years. I've struggled a lot with depression and talking to a friend I trust about my feelings helped me grow stronger, even though we didn't talk about my self harm. Making the commitment to quit was a big turning point. It wasn't easy and I have relapsed more times than I would like. Even though relapses happen and it can be very very difficult to fight sometimes, it's worth quitting. It's hard, especially in the beginning, but I promise it gets easier. I've learned from my struggles and I'm on the way to recovery.

If you feel comfortable sharing your story, feel free to in the comments!

If you have questions, ask!

If you want to continue this conversation in the comments, please do!

Stay strong <3