Self Help

What is self -harm?

Self harm includes:

• Cutting, burning and hitting
• Mis-use of drugs and alcohol
• Binge drinking
• Alcohol and drug use
• Overdosing on prescribed and / or illegal drugs

Eating disorders

• Anorexia nervosa
• Bulimia
• Binge eating
• Over-eating

Risky behaviours

• Drawn to unsafe sexual relationships
• fast & dangerous driving

Facts

Things that may help

• Self-harm is not attention seeking behaviour. Many people keep their harm secret
• Self-harm can be a sign to others about the pain and hurt you are feeling inside
• Self-harm is often a way of coping with life or unbearable feelings and experiences
• People who self-harm are not a danger to others
• It is not only women who self-harm; men do it too
• People who self-harm do not necessarily have mental health problems, or need professional help
• There are many different reasons why people self harm

• Talk to someone who can listen without making judgements
• Write about your feelings
• Find ways of expressing yourself creatively e.g through art, music, or dance
• Joining a support group can reduce your feelings of isolation
• Consider ways of reducing the harm to yourself when you self-harm. Keep first aid items at home
• Read about the subject to help you understand more
• If you need medical attention, try to find someone supportive to go with you

Useful Books, magazines, video, and audio

Healing the Hurt Within - Understand and relieve the suffering behind self-destructive behaviour

Who's Hurting Who? - Young people, self-harm and suicide

Self-Harm - Perspectives from Personal Experience

Cutting the Risk: Self-Harm, Self-Care and Risk Reduction

A Bright Red Scream - Self-mutilation and the Language of Pain

The Scarred Soul - Understanding and Ending Self Inflicted Violence

A Certain Age

Girl, Interrupted

Breaking Free - Help for Survivors of Child Abuse

Poppies on the Rubbish Heap - The Child's Voice

Dibs - In Search of Self

Strong At The Broken Places - Overcoming the trauma of child abuse

The Language of Injury - Comprehending Self - Mutilation

Coping with self-mutilation - A Helping Book for Teens who Hurt Themselves

Women and Self-Harm

Cry of Pain - Understanding suicide and Self-Harm

Visible Memories

Teenage Suicide and Self-Harm

'The Hurt Yourself Less' Workbook

Working with people who self-injure

'Hurting inside' - A book for young people

'Making sense of self-harm' - For friends and families