WARNING: I will discuss how people self harm at the end of this chapter to break the stereotype that there's only one or two ways to do it. If you self harm or this makes you uncomfortable, I suggest you just read the beginning of this (bc I list how to get help as well) to avoid triggers. Please listien. This is a ⚠️. In this chapter (it's gonna be long but worth it) I will discuss the reasons, myths, risk factors of suicidal thoughts/attempts, how to tell if someone self harms or how they might do it, and a rant about why jokes about this are not funny.
So I was thinking about ranting about how self harm and suicide arn't weak but idk what to say anymore. Anyways, as a physiatrist I know once told me, people may self harm because they feel so stressed or sad or overwhelmed and they just want to do something. They don't know what else to do so they cut, burn, scratch ect. It's a sign of emotional pain. People who do this need to get help. After a while, it can become an addiction. People with depression can feel numb. When people feel numb and they cut they do it to feel something. To turn there emotional pain into something physical. Sometimes people do it to deal with self hatred or anxiety or to punish themselves.
Is this healthy? No. But it's not just easy to quit and it's usually a sign of an underlying issues. Even doing it for attention means that someone needs help.
Some stereotypes about self harm includes:
That all emos do it.
Only teenage girls do it bc they're "weak" or "just has a breakup" ect
Only girls do it
People do it for attention
People who do it are weak.
It's just cutting.
It's a suicide attempt.
That's not true. In fact, anyone can self harm. Bullying/cyberbullying, abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), low self esteem, relationship problems and isolation are risk factors for both suicidal thoughts and self harm.
Some people just don't know how to cope with extreme feelings of self hatred, anger, depression, guilt ect. When these feelings become unbearable people feel like self harm or suicide are the only answers. So it's definitely not funny or weak. Everyone has different limitation. We are only human and everyone breaks down. Sure people may have it "worse" than others but self harm is still an issue and people usually have a good reason for it, along with suicide. Remember it would take a lot of emotional pain to feel like doing that. And people don't feel like that out of being selfish or uncaring either. Don't guilt trip by saying things like "why aren't you thinking about how this makes me feel?" Or "don't you care about me?" Because they're not doing it to be malicious. It's not to be inconsiderate of your feelings. When someone opens up to you about self harming or suicidal thoughts, it's NOT ABOUT YOU. It's about them. Sometimes they do/ feel like that because it feels like the last option. Don't make it about you when they need help. Guilt tripping can make it worse as well.
I would not make fun of it. Just bc you can handle it doesn't mean others who can't are weak. They're just struggling. Don't act like words haven't hurt you or you haven't felt so sad or hopeless before. When we see someone in pain we should want to help them. In fact, self harmers feel ashamed or embarrassed afterwards. So we don't have to keep making memes to shame them and mental illnesses like eating disorders or suicide. It's not funny. It's an illness. They can't help it. Just like a cancer patient can't help being sick. In fact self harmers hurt themselves in secret.
Site used:
https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/6-reasons-why-people-self-injure/
https://www.youthbeyondblue.com/understand-what's-going-on/self-harm-and-self-injury
Now why would someone think of suicide?
They feel hopeless. Guilty. Sad. Stressed. Overwhelmed. Pain. Lonely. Suicidal people want to escape there pain and unfortunately, according to thehopeline, "they are hurting so badly and want nothing more than the pain to end. Unfortunately, they cannot ever imagine the pain going away. ".
(Site:https://www.thehopeline.com/why-people-commit-suicide)
Some risk factors for suicide include:
Abuse(sexual, physical)
Bullying./cyberbullying
Eating disorders.
War/other traumatic experience.
Depression.
Mental illness.
Anxiety.
Bipolar disorder.
Schizophrenia
PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)
Personality disorders
Drug addiction/substance abuse.
Unemployment
Social isolation/loneliness
Relationship problems.
Genetics (from a family of suicidal thoughts/attempts)
Financial problems
So now do you understand why someone in these situations might want to take there own lives? (Site: http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/07/23/15-common-causes-of-suicide-why-do-people-kill-themselves/)
Instead of self harm:
Read
Excercise
Listien to music
Talk to someone
Get help (see a therapist or physiatrist)
Express your emotions by drawing, writing, painting ect.
Talk to someone.
Identify the triggers.
Do not judge if someone tells you about it.
How to tell if someone self harms:
Unexplained cuts, scars, bruises, burns, or wounds usually on the wrist, thighs, arms or chest.
Blood stains.
Sharp objects or cutting instruments.
"Accidents"
Covering up (wearing long sleeves, even in hot weather)
Needing to be alone for a while, mostly in bathrooms or bedrooms.
Isolation and irritability.
How people self harm:
Cutting or scratching the skin
Burning
Hitting yourself or banging your head
Throwing your body against hard objects
Sticking objects in your skin
Preventing wounds from healing
Swallowing inappropriate things.
(Site: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/cutting-and-self-harm.htm)
YOU ARE READING
Depression, anxiety, EDs, and other mental health issues.
Non-FictionThis story is about depression disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, other mental illnesses, self harm, suicide, bullying, and the stigma of mental illness. This book was written to help others and educate people. It...
