DISCLAIMER: I am not promoting self harm, I am just informing others about it.
Intro
Self harm is a difficult subject to talk about. It's never easy. If someone catches us self harming or if someone notices our scars, it's so humiliating. Physical pain may be easier to explain than emotional pain, but it doesn't mean it's not difficult to explain.
I will admit, I self harm. I AM trying not to, but the way my life is now, it's certainly not easy to stop. Many ask us why we do it, but everyone is different. For me, it's a way of punishing myself. Other reasons might be to feel something. As someone who has trouble with empathy due to my Asperger's, I will sometimes self harm to feel something. Just something. I don't care what it is, I just want to feel something.
Reasons
1. To Punish Oneself
This can he a simple one to explain. As I said in my introduction, I will harm myself to punish myself. The things that are going on in my life I feel is my fault. Harming myself is a form of punishment for what I feel is my fault.
2. To Feel Something
As I said in my introduction, wanting to feel something is another reason someone might harm themselves. This is true for me. The empathy part is a huge problem for me. I can feel it sometimes, but it's almost always me having no feeling inside. For me, feeling the pain of the cut replaces that hole inside of me. Other might disagree, but it's how I feel.
3. To Regain Control
Some people may feel that they don't have control in their lives. They may feel useless and decide to harm themselves. Self harming is their way of saying that they have control in their lives.
4. A Distraction
When someone has so much going on in their lives, they might turn to self harm to distract themselves. The pain from the cut, burn, whatever distracts them from the emotional or psychological trauma in their lives. Self harm is an escape for them.
5. An Outlet for Relief
Relief is a big one. Self harming may bring all the pain to the present moment and make you forget the emotions you are feeling. It brings you to the present moment for a temporary relief of life's struggles.
Types Of Self Harm
1. Cutting
Cutting is pretty self explanatory. It's simply taking a blade or a sharp object and slicing through the skin.
2. Burning
Another self explanatory one. Burning is taking a flame or a hot object and creating burns on the skin. From 1st to 3rd degree, it's a burn.
3. Carving
Carving is when a sharp object is directed at the skin. Instead of slicing through the skin and creating lines, carving is slicing through the skin and making words or symbols.
4. Scratching/Pinching
This is scratching or pinching oneself to the point of bleeding or bruising.
5. Impact With Objects or Impact With Oneself
This type of self harm would be slamming or running into walls or other objects with the intent of hurting oneself. Intending to punch, slap, hit, or otherwise impact with oneself is considered self harm.
6. Interfering With the Healing Process
Most would say this is not self harm, but it is. If it's intentional without the means of killing oneself, it is self harm. This type of self injury involves picking at scars, bruises, or any type of injury already present.
7. Alcohol/Drug Abuse
Drinking to have fun or party is not self harm. Self harm in this area involves drinking or using drugs with the intent of harming oneself. Drinking and/or using drugs to forget something, feel numb, or any type of intent of harming oneself is self harm.
8. Binge Eating or Not Eating Enough
This is actually something I do quite often. I'm not proud of it, but I do go for long periods of time without eating anything. But, eating too much or eating less to punish yourself or intentionally hurt yourself is self harm.
9. Not Sleeping Enough
This form of self harm is another self explanatory one. Not sleeping enough with intent is considered self harm.
10. Sex
Not everyone will consider this self harm, but in my eyes, it is. Sex is fine and completely okay. Sleeping around with others constantly is not self harm. What is self harm is intentionally having sex to numb yourself out or to forget your problems.
Myths
1.
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