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Self Harm
Self Harm
Self-harm is when you deliberately hurt or injure yourself. This can be done in lots of different ways such as cutting, burning, pulling out hair or scratching skin to cause sores and scarring.
Why do people harm themselves?
Usually people who self-harm have some underlying problem that they are unable to deal with or find unbearable such as sexual abuse, problems in their home life, difficulties at school, in fact all sorts of reasons.
The act of self-harm works as a safety valve. It relieves the pressure of the problem - but only in the short term. Until the main problem is dealt with, the self-harm will continue.
Young people who self-harm often have low self-esteem which aggravates their problems even further as they feel they are not worthy of help. If this sounds like you, ask for help now – you are worth it and you can be helped.
I'm self-harming and want to stop. Who can help me?
It's important to seek help before the problem gets so bad that you seriously injure yourself or even worse become suicidal. If possible talk to a parent, friend or teacher or contact an Adviser at a One Stop Office - to find an office near you
click here. Your enquiry will be treated in total confidence.
If you feel you can't talk to anyone, there are websites and helplines which offer lots of useful advice.