You are head over heels in love with someone. So much has been invested by you in the relationship; your time, energy, and money.  To safeguard your relationship, you go ahead to cut off family and friends. Just like the Titanic, your sweet relationship unexpectedly hits an iceberg and everything falls apart. You are broken, depressed, and feeling all alone.  You are unprepared to face the sad reality. What makes the situation graver is that you do not have anyone around you to share your distress with.

Most people have cut off from you. The few ones remaining in your circle are busy managing their own lives and you are forced to deal with the pain all alone. The solitude, the unspoken words rebelling within you to come out to find liberation and the emotions that need a consoling shoulder finally push you to the margin and you pick up a knife and cut yourself.

Sounds familiar! Millions of people face the same depression trap for thousands of different reasons and hurt themselves. Many victims of self-harm stated that they thought the self-inflicted pain would make them forget or at least ignore the pain they were already in.

What Is Self-harm? Self-harm is the point at which you harm yourself intentionally. Otherwise called nonsuicidal self-injury disorder. Individuals who self-harm get things done to hurt themselves however don’t have any desire to cause death.

Who Are At A Greater Risk?

While almost everyone shares a risk of falling into this trap, some people have a higher risk. Below are a few conditions that often push individuals toward the abyss of this seemingly inescapable darkness.

• People with mental health issues such as clinical depression, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, or personality disorders face a higher risk of self-harm.
• Social acceptance can sometimes play a critical role in deciding your mental health and confidence. People belonging to the LGBTQ+ community often feel detached or severed from mainstream society which pushes them towards isolation and self-harm.
• Young adults with live away from their parents or are orphans sometimes develop a tendency to self-harm.
• People going through any trauma or who are “bereaved by suicide” can attempt self-harm.

In short, almost everyone who is suffering from profound sadness and loneliness remains at a higher risk of self-harm.  If you are going through such a phase in your life or know someone who is sorely hurt, seek help. Fighting this omen is possible only when you become aware of its existence and do something about it.

Why Do People Harm Themselves?

Before getting into further details, let’s explore why people choose the path of self-hurting instead of pursuing or trying any other resort. Here are some shocking facts that will help you understand how grave and alarming the condition is.

• According to research, almost 17% of the entire global population attempt self-harm during their lifetime.
• The youngest to attempt it is generally 12-13 years old.
• Only half of the sufferers seek help from their peers and do not reach out to professionals.
• 45% of victims cut themselves to get hurt.

Self-harm is no longer an isolated issue to be cared for by experts, psychologists, and professionals. The person next door or someone in your family can be right now going through the same psychological phase.

Let’s explore some reasons people hurt themselves.

• Challenges at home
• Problems or differences with friends
• Pressure at school/college
• Bullying
• Acute depression
• Severe anxiety
• Low level of confidence
• Changes in surroundings (school change, divorce, etc.)
• Alcohol consumption and drug abuse

While anyone can fall prey to self-harm intentions, the conditions mentioned above often aggravate the situation and prompt the individual to take drastic steps. A troubled childhood, abusive parents, addiction to substance use and more can be a direct trigger.

Ways That Individuals With This Disorder Self-Harm Themselves?

Self-harm can manifest in various forms. Some are more common than others, however, all undeniably accompany risks. The most common ways of indulging in self-harm include:

• Cutting /slicing with sharp items to get through or harm the skin.
• Burning with something hot like cigarettes, matches, or heated sharp objects, or with chemicals like cleaning agents.
• Hitting with strong items — like punching a wall — can result in wounds.
• Scratching/rubbing of the body that results in skin harm.

How Can You Get Help?

However, the situation is not always as inescapable as it appears to be. There is always a way to come out of this abyss of darkness. If you need help and seek it, you can get it through various ways. Here are a few ways that can help you overcome your tendency to harm yourself to get rid of the persistent pain you feel.

Talk to People

No matter what your problem is, talk it out with someone you trust and can rely on.  In most cases, the victims of this practice hesitate to share their secrets or emotional realities fearing that the listener might lack discretion. Talk to a friend, relative, parents, a professional, or someone you trust, and you will feel much relieved for sure.

Consult Therapists

If you think that discussing your problems is not helping adequately, you can contact a reputed psychiatrist or therapist who can help you out medically. CBT specialists or cognitive behaviour therapists are the most suitable and trained people to take you out of this ominous situation.

Look For Help Groups

There exist numerous self-help groups and counselors dedicated to the task of rescuing people suffering from Self-harm issues. If you or someone close to you needs help, you can always reach out to these groups and associations where you will also come across several other people like you. Seeing someone else going through the same experience that you are strengthens your willpower.

How To Identify Someone Prone To Self-Harm?

To begin with, people attempting self-harm methods are always those facing mental issues of some variety.  Therefore, their behavioural patterns, if observed closely, unveil a lot about their intentions. The following are only a few common signs that could help you understand that someone might need urgent help.

• Cut marks, bruises, etc., on hands, legs, or anywhere else is a sign that the person might have started harming him/herself.
• If a person is consuming alcohol, drugs, and other variety of substances, he/she needs help.
• People avoiding social interaction to keep something hidden often fall prey to self-harm tendencies.
• If someone offers strange explanations for the cuts and scars on the skin, he/she is probably hiding the truth.

Generally, people experiencing acute depression behave almost the same way as those who attempt self-harm. If you know someone who is behaving that way, it would be best to help the person in any way you can.

Distraction Methods To Help Subside Your Self-Harm Intention

The urge to harm yourself is a momentary instinct that you can avoid using a few distraction methods. Especially when you begin the process of obliterating your self-harm tendencies, distraction can be an effective tool to fight the urge.

• The moment you feel like cutting or hurting yourself, write those distressing emotions on a page and burn them. This will help you avoid the momentary urge to harm yourself.
• To let your frustration release, punch the pillows or hit the bed. The excess energy will get channelized.
• Throw yourself into a crowded place. Avoiding loneliness can help you stay away from the triggers.
• Call a friend and talk to him/her and you will feel more relieved.
• You can also listen to your favourite music (However, avoid the ones with melancholy tunes) or draw pictures to reorient your mind space.

However, if nothing works, search for a self-help group online and contact them for help.

How Can You Help Someone Involved In Self-Harming?

If you are not the one in distress but someone you know is, you should certainly do everything in your power to liberate that person from the vicious circle of self-harm. It would be best if you remembered that self-harm is a condition engendered due to many external triggers.

It generally begins with feeling emotional distress followed by an intense urge to self-harm that brings temporary relief. But the cycle does not stop here. The same distressing feelings reappear soon and the same process repeats.

Therefore, you should help someone facing it without any delays. Talk to them, try to understand their mental space and if necessary, take them to a therapist.

Self-harm is not a disease, it is a mental condition that empathy, attention, and the right treatment can cure.

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