Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages or injures their body. Support is available for anyone who self-harms or thinks about self-harm, as well as their friends and family.
Why people self-harm
Some of the reasons that people may self-harm include:
- Expressing or coping with emotional distress
- Trying to feel in control
- A way of punishing themselves
- Relieving unbearable tension
- A cry for help
- A response to intrusive thoughts
Self-harm may be linked to bad experiences that are happening now, or in the past. But sometimes the reason is unknown.
The reasons can also change over time and will not be the same for everybody.
Common causes of emotional distress
Self-harm is most often described as a way to express or cope with emotional distress.
There are many possible causes of emotional distress. It's often a build-up of many smaller things that leads people to think about self-harm.
Some examples include:
- Being bullied
- Pressure at school or work
- Family arguments or relationship problems
- Money worries
- Low self-esteem
- Struggling with stress, anxiety or depression
- Confusion about sexuality
- Grief after bereavement or loss
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Being in contact with the criminal justice system
- Experiencing complex mental health difficulties that sometimes cause impulsive behaviour or difficulty controlling emotions, often due to past trauma
Self-harm and suicide
There is evidence of a clear link between suicide or suicidal thoughts and people who have previously self-harmed.
However, not everyone who self-harms wants to end their life. Some people describe their self-harm as a way of staying alive by responding to or coping with severe emotional distress.
It's important to find the right support or treatment to help deal with the underlying cause in a less harmful way.
Read more on the NHS website: self-harm
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