A bit of Information on this subject.

Kaytee576 · A bit of Information on this subject.

We wanted to add some information to this section, Hope you will find the following helpful.

Types, Causes And Treatment

While self-harm is not usually suicidal behavior, it should still be taken seriously. As with other kinds of addictive behaviors, you cannot simply tell someone to stop and expect her or him to comply. A professional therapist is usually needed to assist in overcoming self-injurious behavior.

What can you do to help a friend or family member who is a self-injurer?

It is very hard to realize that someone you care about is physically harming herself or himself. Your concern may come out in frustration and even comments that can drive the person farther away. Some things that might be helpful are:

Understand that self-harming behavior is an attempt to maintain a certain amount of control, and that it is a way of self-soothing

Let her or him know that you care and that you will listen
Encourage expression of emotions, including anger

Spend time doing enjoyable activities together
Offer to help find a therapist or support group,

Do not tell the person to stop the behavior or make judgmental comments – people who feel worthless and powerless are even more likely to self-injure

If you are the parent of a self-injuring child, prepare yourself to address your family’s difficulties with expression of feelings, as this is a common factor in self-injury – this is not about blame, but about a learning process that will help the entire family

How can a self-injuring person stop this behavior?

Self-injury is a behavior that becomes compulsive and addictive. Like any other addiction, even though other people think the person should stop, most addicts have a hard time just saying no to their behavior – even while realizing it is unhealthy.

There Are several things to try to help yourself

Acknowledge that this IS a problem, that you are hurting on the inside, and that you need professional assistance to stop injuring yourself.

Realize that this is not about being bad or stupid – this is about recognizing that a behavior that somehow was helping you handle your feelings has become as big a problem as the one it was trying to solve in the first place.

Find one person you trust – maybe a friend, teacher, minister, counselor, or relative – and say that you need to talk about something serious that is bothering you.

Get help in identifying what “triggers” your self-harming behaviors and ask for help in developing ways to either avoid or address those triggers

Recognize that self-injury is an attempt to self-sooth, and that you need to develop other, better ways to calm and sooth yourself

Try some substitute activities when you feel like hurting yourself – there are some examples here, and many more that can be found online (links are provided below):

If cutting is a way to deal with anger that you cannot express openly, try taking those feelings out on something else – running, dancing fast, screaming, punching a pillow, throwing something, ripping something apart

If cutting is a way to feel something when you feel numb inside, try holding ice or a package of frozen food, taking a very hot or very cold shower, chewing something with a very strong taste (like chili peppers, raw ginger root, or a grapefruit peel), or snapping a rubber band hard on your wrist

If cutting is a way to calm yourself, try taking a bubble bath, doing deep breathing, writing in a journal, drawing, or doing some yoga

If cutting involves your having to see blood, try drawing a red ink line where you would usually cut yourself, in combination with other suggestions above.

PLEASE NOTE A FORUM MEMBER DID NOT ORIGINALY WRITE THIS.

This information was found on the following website
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/self_injury.htm
We wanted to add this here, Thanks to them for writing it.

PLEASE remember YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
If you want to talk about this PLEASE DO SO We are here to listen.
We Hope this was somehow helpful to you.
From Kaytee576 (Admin) and Angels-quest. xx