How do I Stop Self Harming?
Q.
I am a selfharmer. Cutting myself is addictive and I can't stop. Can you please give me some help and advice on how to stop. What should I do?
A.
Congratulations! By writing in you have both acknowledged that you have a problem with self harming and reached out for information and advice. These are the first steps towards ending this destructive behaviour and reclaiming both your physical and emotional health.
As a self harmer you should know that you are not alone. Approximately a half a million people across the UK self harm, and it is often estimated that more women than men engage in this behaviour. This means that there are many options for getting help.
To begin with, you must see a GP or other medical professional immediately. Self harming can easily result in infections and scarring, so taking care of your physical health is of the utmost importance. A GP will be able to check over any wounds, scars or burns that you may have to make sure that they are not infected or otherwise threaten your health. If you have any sort of fever, see red lines extending upwards from a wound, see a discharge from a wound or smell a foul odour then you especially should not delay in seeking medical treatment as these are common signs of infection.
When you are certain that your physical health is not in danger you must seek out assistance to discover why you self harm. This is usually best explored with the help of an experienced counsellor or therapist. During counselling or therapy you will be able to explore not only why you turn to self harm to cope with your emotions, but some of the hot topics, issues or situations which often cause you to self harm. You should also be able to plan how to avoid these topics, issues or situations as well as how to cope with them - other than self harming - if you must confront them.
If you are not ready to seek help face to face or can not find a counsellor or therapist with whom you are comfortable in your local area then you could also consider calling a helpline to discuss your specific situation. The Samaritans run a helpline on 08457 90 90 90 while the National Self Harm Network offers a list of resources related to self harm at their website (nshn.co.uk).
Good luck!
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