Self harm

**convalescence** · 13-02-2010 13:54

I've found that there is little to no support for people battling an addiction to self harm. I start to self harm after extreme trauma at four years old. My family didn't know what to do and because the self harm was that that didn't leave marks nobody at my school noticed so I didn't get any professional help until late highschool (not concerning my self harm but concerning my being bullied).

I think that more support should be offered and there should be more awareness of the warning signs.

Please don't say anything negative. Self harm is a natural response to an extremely traumatic experence, a negative response but still natural.

**MummaBear03** · 13-02-2010 14:03

I fully agree and went into self-abuse mode at one stage myself. I found a good counsellor though, we didn't talk about that itself, but the underlying issues were dealt with and still being dealt with now years later. I think self-harm is just a symptom, and the cause rather than the symptom needs to be worked on.

**convalescence** · 13-02-2010 16:09

Hey MummaBear03

I've had therapy which has helped to a degree and been on and off med's which have never worked (they've made a couple of symptoms ease while others were made so much worse that I sometimes couldn't function due to lack of sleep and sickness due to having no appetite yet knowing I must eat to survive). Therapy and med's can help if the therapist is well suited, the theraoy technigques are appropriate and the med's are the correct med's for the imballance. BUT it's difficult to find the right therapist and GPs don't tend to give the correct med's.

I think advice from people who've been free of their addiction is helpful as well as therapy and medication.

Well done on getting past that part of your life.

**Mummy2Kobi&Hailee** · 17-02-2010 22:10

Originally Posted by convalescence

Self harm is a natural response to an extremely traumatic experence, a negative response but still natural.

AS a former self harmer i can agree with that statement. I felt the need to hide my injuries and the scars to avoid bein judged and told off for doin it. I have over time given up wearin jumpers in summer to hide the scars and now wear tshirts and my scars are visiable. I dont care what ppl say bout them coz i will always say to them " its ppl like you that dont help self harmers when they need your help the most"

**3'llhavetodo** · 17-02-2010 22:15

Please help me to understand why. Why do you do it? What do you get out of harming yourself?

Please know I am not picking I just want to understand

**studyingECS** · 17-02-2010 22:18

My Best friend is a self harmer, all I was able to offer was a non-judgmental shoulder to cry on and offering to help her find some therapy if she wanted it.

I didn't know what else I was supposed to do.

**Mummita** · 17-02-2010 22:19

Originally Posted by convalescence

I've found that there is little to no support for people battling an addiction to self harm. I start to self harm after extreme trauma at four years old. My family didn't know what to do and because the self harm was that that didn't leave marks nobody at my school noticed so I didn't get any professional help until late highschool (not concerning my self harm but concerning my being bullied).

I think that more support should be offered and there should be more awareness of the warning signs.

Please don't say anything negative. Self harm is a natural response to an extremely traumatic experence, a negative response but still natural.

I hope you find the treatment you need to help you work on getting better. My thoughts are with you.

**Mummy2Kobi&Hailee** · 17-02-2010 23:08

3'llhavetodo i would do it coz to me it felt like the pain was no longer inside but outside once i had SHed. it was a way to release the pain i felt inside.
Weird i know but it is hard to explain.

I am not ashamed to say im a Self Harmer but i will always say how long it has been since i last SHed and that was march 2004 the month before i had Kobi.

**codswallop** · 17-02-2010 23:25

for me it was a pain i could control
it was mine i caused it, i could end it , i owned it

i think there are loads of ways to self harm that arent as obviuos
since i stoped scratcing gouges in my arms, stabbing my self with pins and burning my self i developed a severe nail biting addiction
im talking no nails at all!
and i get that same kind of rush that i got back then when i do it

**PeppaH** · 17-02-2010 23:26

I always found it hard to explain WHY I did it. I think for me, I never learnt how to express my anger and frustration or my feeligns when Im really upset. I feel like I have to do something with my hands, I would punch things also and have damaged my knuckles in my right hand. I would use anythign I found, only once or twice was it somethign sharp enough to cause real damage, I have a nasty scar on my calf from one gash I made. Most of the time they were blunted items or things like needles and I would scratch at myself and make alot of small cuts. Once I went into such a bad state I even scratched continuously at the corner of my eye.

I had no support, no one I could call when I was feeling that way because no one knew. No one knew I did that and I think that is something I needed, someone to talk to. Someone to help me calm down and breathe.