Self-harm is when you inflict physical harm on yourself, usually in secret and often without anyone else knowing. Self-harming can include:
Self-harming usually does not mean that a person wants to commit suicide or that they are looking for attention. Usually when people harm themselves, they are suffering a great deal of pain on the inside and are unable to use words to describe their feelings. People who harm themselves have often encountered very difficult situations or relationships. They may have:
It is only a temporary ‘solution’ though, a ‘band-aid fix’, because your real feelings of hurt and distress have not been dealt with.
Trying to work through these issues by yourself can be difficult. Knowing that others have overcome similar issues with the help of counselling is worth thinking about.