I have been harming myself for a long time now. It makes me feel better but I know it's wrong. What can I do to stop?

If you’re struggling with self-harming, I highly recommend speaking to a professional that may be able to help you process feelings from your past and present. If you don’t have access to a healthcare professional, you can text IDM to 741741 for free to help you through a crisis.

Even though you’re aware that harming yourself is wrong, you’ve been using it to cope for a long time. It’s easy to create a habit, but it can be really hard to break one. If you find yourself developing an urge to self harm, it’s really important to be aware of what’s triggering you. Once you know what is triggering you, creating a safety plan with your therapist, a trusted friend or family member can be helpful and also give you ideas on other alternatives to try to resist the urge.

People self harm for various reasons and it may be helpful to distract yourself until the urge passes. Calling a friend and talking about something completely different, playing with a pet, going for a run/walk are all things to consider going when you feel an urge. Some other techniques include journaling how you feel, listening to music, drawing or painting. Deep breathing is also a really good technique to self soothe and give yourself a sense of calmness.

If all of that doesn’t help, it may be helpful to speak to a therapist to find substitutes for the cutting sensations as you continue to develop coping mechanisms.

Imani Tutt