A Girls Survival Guide

Self-Harm

A/N EMSquared2

Hello! My name is Elisabeth. In this chapter I will be talking about the basics of self-harm. Maybe to help you understand yourself, a friend or family member. On the other hand it is possible you don’t know anyone who self-harms you could just want to understand the people who do. Here are things I have personal experience about and have done my research on to learn more about myself.

 To start this chapter I will start with some true and false questions, along with my opinion or experience.

True or False: People who self-harm do it for attention.
False: Generally people that self-harm do this in secret. A lot do not want to create attention to themselves. It can be hard for them to come out and ask for help, the reason is because they feel shame and fear.

Me: I never did it for attention. I also did not hide it on the other hand, I did not want to talk about it.

True or False: People who self-harm are crazy and/or dangerous.
False: Many people who self-harm are suffering from anxiety, depression or PTSD (a previous major trauma). Millions of people suffer from this although not all self-harm. People who self-harm do this because this is how they cope. Labeling them “crazy” or “dangerous” is not correct nor helpful.

Me: I suffer from depression and PTSD. I have had people tell me I am crazy although, I knew I was not, I had a hard life at home.

True or False: People who self-harm want to die.
False: No, they do not usually want to die. In fact hurting their self may be a way of helping them live, they are coping with their pain. However, if people who self-harm for the long-term they have a higher risk of suicide. This is why they need to seek help.

Me: I was terrified of dying, I still am actually. When I hurt myself it felt reliving, when I saw blood it was like the pain was leaving with it. I was considered “high-risk suicidal” but, I knew I was not going to kill myself.

True or False: If the wounds aren’t bad, it’s not that serious.
False: Do not assume that because someone self-harm wounds are minor that it is not much to worry about. That has very little to with with how much they are suffering.

Me: I never had to be hospitalized. I say that when I self-harmed it was “surface scratches”. I would gently harm myself, just enough to draw blood.

Take the time to think about whether or not you categorize these into true or false. Then justify as to why you think this way. Use your own personal experience, if you don’t or never have self-harmed than use your opinions to justify your answer. Keep in mind it is important to understand what your going through in order to take the steps to stop self-harming.

If you are not sure if you are self-harming I will list a few common ways of self-harming:

Cutting or severely scratching your skin - I did this

Burning yourself, this can include using an eraser to burn your skin - I did this

Hitting yourself or banging your head - I did this

Punching things - I did this

Throwing your body against walls and hard objects

Sticking objects into your skin - I did this

Intentionally preventing wounds from healing - I did this