Self Injury Awareness

Cutting: Understanding and Overcoming Self-Mutilation by Steven Levenkron

The Scarred Soul: Understanding and Ending Self Inflicted Violence by Tracy Alderman

Self Harm Behaviors and Eating Disorders
by John Levitt, Randy Sansone & Leigh Cohn (Editors)

Beyond Fear and Control
working with young people who self-harm
Eds. Helen Spandler & Sam Warner

A Bright Red Scream: Self-mutilation and the Language of Pain
Marilee Strong, Armando R. Favazza

Check out my other videos.

SI is something I go through personally everyday of my life. I think about it all the time. Even tho the thoughts are there, most likely I'll be able to control myself & not hurt my body. Sometimes I slip & hurt myself but it shows how hard I work towards being heathly & safe. DBT is a good source to help the urges & to find safe ways to cope with the feeling.

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Self-injury or self-harm is when somebody damages or injures their body on purpose. Self-injury is a way of expressing deep emotional feelings or problems that build up inside.

Cutting the skin is probably the most common form of self-injury. The cuts are not usually deep but in some cases, medical attention is needed to clean, dress or stitch the wounds. The most common places on the body to cut are the wrists, upper arms, inner thighs and upper chest. Less common are the face, breasts, abdomen and genitals. Often people who cut themselves will use one or two methods, for example, knives, glass or razor blades. The person tends to have a certain area of the body that they prefer to cut, such as the arms.

Burning the skin (usually with cigarettes) is also common. People may also self-harm by scratching, hitting or punching, sometimes using an object. Other forms of self-injury include picking at the skin, pulling out hair, swallowing poisonous substances, taking an overdose of tablets or drugs or deliberately breaking bones.

Although, there is a connection between self-harm and suicide, the majority do not risk their lives. For many people who self-injure, their actions are only an attempt to cope with the stress and difficulties they face; their purpose is not to end their life. However, there is a possibility that those who self-injure may commit suicide either deliberately or accidentally as the result of their actions.

Self-harm is much more common among girls than boys, often starting in adolescence (between 13 and 18 years of age), although it can affect children from as young as 11 years. Fear of discovery, shame and embarrassment often means that people keep self-injury a secret. Because of this, it is difficult to know how many people self-harm.

Some people self-harm only once or a few times while others do it on a regular basis, sometimes throughout their life.

People who self-injure are very careful to hide the damage and scars. They will often injure themselves in places that can be easily hidden by clothing so friends and family members may be unaware of the person self-injuring in private.

Another sign that someone could be self-harming is that the person will insist on keeping covered up at all times, even in hot weather.

People self-injure for a variety of reasons and sometimes, the person doesnt actually know why they are doing it. However, it is commonly thought to provide a release for pent-up emotions and feelings. For some people it is their way of coping with a specific problem. Self-injury is a sign of emotional distress and is not an attempt to seek attention.

People who self-harm often describe feelings of numbness or deadness or they may feel detached from reality, as if they are not part of the world. Some may injure themselves to stay separated from reality but others do it to make them feel more real, connected and alive.

People who self-harm often describe feelings of numbness or deadness or they may feel detached from reality, as if they are not part of the world. Some may injure themselves to stay separated from reality but others do it to make them feel more real, connected and alive.

People who self-injure risk infections if their wounds are not treated properly. Cuts can become infected if a person uses non-sterile or dirty cutting instruments.

Rochester, New York State. Shortsville NY, Wayne County, Ontario County, Monroe County, Western NY.

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Education

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[linkinparkiloveyou]

honestly, I don't mean to sound like a bitch. But I don't think you're really understanding how addicting self harm can be.

You're making it seem really simple to give it up. Believe me, it's not. I've been self harming for almost two years, and everything I do to try and stop is not working.

Thanks for the information though, I didn't even know that there was such thing as a self harm day xD

[jesmalu]

this is info from websites & my experience, ive been self harming for over 15 yrs, no one can say i dont know when ive been thru it myself. thanks for your comment.

[floppyfl0pster]

I slit my wrists every goddamn day and this video is making it even worse

thanks alot fuckhead

[jesmalu]

hey thanks for stopping by! btw, it was YOU who decided to watch the video. fuckhead! *winks* i didn't make you watch it. TY tho =D

[gothicallysuicidal]

Can I pls translate this into my language and put it on youtube? Pple in Hungary do not know about self harm, and you have it all right here!!!

[jesmalu]

sure

[chucri19]

I have a friend that does that to herself! and i wanna help her but i donno how... can someone plz give me ideas.. i care about her a lot....

[staystrong1231]

i lke this video for one reason. itsaid, let he person who is self harming know they are not alone. i like that because... i cut for the first time when i was ten. that was almost nine years ago. it is a very difficult addiction t overcme. difficult, butnot impossible. i was doing so well, hadnt cut scince june. i had a sever relaspe a couple weeks ago and ended up with 30 cuts in two days. it is hard to overcome. but i can do it,others ca d it. no one is truely alone. we all need help sometimes

[xanadu191]

@Wildernesslover11 im coming from the opposite side of things. I disagree that friends can't be the ones who help until the cutter lets them. I've been a cutter for years and it was my friend who finally took initiative to stop it. I DID NOT WANT HELP. i still wish she hadnt but its made my addiction less. friends should tell. it sucks but they should. also dont tell the parent, tell a guidance counselor. parents have trouble being objective and often make the problem much much worse

[Wildernesslover11]

@chucri19 i have a friend who does the same thing, and i no how you feel you get sick to your stomache. But you can only help them when they want to be helped. and if it gets to bad your gonna have to tell her mom or tell someone who will get her help. she might hate you for a while or fe betrayed that you did that but itll be worth it in the longrun

[Champ675]

SELF INJURY IS AN ISSUE NOT TO BE JUDGED HARSHLY.

BELIEVE ME I KNOW FIRST HAND WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT BECAUSE I'M ADDICTED TO IT AND TRYING HARD TO STOP. I'VE BEEN ADDICTED FOR YEARS. I'VE GONE WITHOUT DOING IT FOR MONTHS AT A TIME BUT IT'S PICKED BACK UP. SO FOR ANYONE WHO STRUGGLES YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SELF HARMS, JOIN THE CLUB

[XcheekybeccaX]

Another one: DONT tell your friends they can trust you and then go spit it out to their h.o.h & tutor. Thats happening to me when i asked a few of my friends if i could explain what was going on:L Its only made me wanna carry on. My trust in everyone is GONE.

[wackywhitty]

@linkinparkiloveyou

I've been a self harming myself for almost 6years now its so hard i stopped once for a year! and then started back up again! if you ever need to talk to some one I understand! send me a message!

<3

[zack8426]

yes i do cut and i like it it helps filter the paine out and yes i am emo i dont care but thanks for posting thise a lot of my "frindes' dont like me doing it so i posted these on ther facebook thanks jesmalu

[BlateroStulidum]

It's so liberating.. I want to stop. It's getting hotter and I don't know how to hide the cuts anymore

[DrPain2008]

I'm going to cut myself today because it is March 1st

[kennsie8]

i was thinking about wearing a orange choker but my mom told me chokers are for bad people so .... where can i get one of those S.I bracelets? i think i saw one before...