Controlling self harm
What is Self Harm or Self Injury?
This little snippet from wikipedia explains what self harm or self injury is;
“Self-injury (SI) or self-harm (SH) is deliberate injury inflicted by a person upon their own body without suicidal intent. Some scholars use more technical definitions related to specific aspects of this behaviour. These acts may be aimed at relieving otherwise unbearable emotions, and/or sensations of unreality and numbness. Self-harm is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) as a symptom of borderline personality disorder and depressive disorders. It is sometimes associated with mental illness, a history of trauma and abuse including emotional abuse, sexual abuse, eating disorders, or mental traits such as low self-esteem or perfectionism, but a statistical analysis is difficult, as many self-injurers conceal their injuries.”
I believe in general terms that 9/10 people do not even realise that they are indeed self harming as they see an act of violence whether it be hitting something, kicking something or generally doing something to an object which causes harm to themselves as they’re just in a mood. In fact, when they are hitting something they are actually releasing stress and angst which other people would just shrug off. The releasing of stress and angst through a physical means like assaulting something or causing half to oneself is funnily enough Self Harm.
Complete physical abuse to the extent of heading into hospital like cutting for example needs to be looked at a lot closer and the people who are doing it need to assess how to change. I understand that to them it is a way out, however they are doing more harm than good. Take a step back look at what you’re doing to yourself. There is a known trick from psychologists which actually helps self harmer’s to control their anger and to concentrate on not harming themselves physically by using a rubber band, if you but a rubber band around your wrist when you feel like self harming just ping the rubber band onto your wrist a couple of times until your stress subsides.
Self harmer’s should really go and speak to someone professional. Psychiatric Nurses and Drs are not the worst people in the world, talking to them can save a whole lot of people getting hurt including yourselves. They are the one type of person who can talk you through your issues and get you through them.
You needn’t stand alone in pain, there are plenty of people who have been through the same thing. Just raise your voice and talk to people.
Start a discussion with Uncle Gav, he’s always looking for new people to talk over their issues with, he’s not a professional counsellor, he’s just a straight up guy with a bit of life experience.
