Self Harm

Self harm, or "cutting" effects a lot of teens, for a variety of different reasons, mainly due to the problems that they are facing. It is used as an out let for emotions that we are struggling to cope with. It is often referred to as a coping mechanism, but often enough it can turn into a habit that many teens struggle to get out of.

In order to treat someones issue we self harm, they have to open up, as without treating the cause of this problem it will not fully go away. This may sound daunting, if you are a self harmer yourself, which is often a reason as to why self harmer's suffer in silence without ever telling another person. This is not the right way to go around things, as it will no help the person in question in the long run. No matter how hard it may be to talk about the issues you are facing, it is important to do so. Even if right now you don't feel confident enough to talk to someone who you know in the real world, maybe you should consider talking to someone online.

However, it is important to only do something that doesn't put your health in danger. This is why it is important to keep yourself busy in times when you're prone to self harming.

Here is a list of alternative things to do, when you feel the urge of self harm taking a hold:

- Go for a run/walk, it'll help you clear your mind and give you a chance to cool down and think about what you're doing.
- Do something arty if you are in to creativity, this will be a great way to let off steam as well as keeping your hands busy (or if it's something like singing, it'll keep your mind focused).
- Find a new hobby
- Count down for a number until you feel comfortable enough to continue with your day.
- Scream into a pillow
- Draw over the area you would have harmed in a red pen
- Plunge your hands into icy water
- Take a cold shower
- Listen to loud music
- Snap a rubber band
- Find something you enjoy doing and stick to it, until you have calmed down

The above list, is only a small snap shot of the endless possibilities to do when you feel like self harming, you yourself are the one who can decide what it is to keep yourself busy, because you're the one person who knows yourself best. Even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes.