I Constantly Self-Harm
I tried overdosing on my medication. I constantly self-harm and I hate myself.
- Injuring yourself can make you feel lonely and ashamed. You are strong for admitting you have a problem and making an honest effort to get the help you need and deserve.
- If you need someone to talk to, you can visit the Teen Central website and click the Help tab to call a hotline or use a textline. You may also speak to a trusted therapist, school counselor or religious leader. Knowledge is power. Try clicking the Learn tab to read more about Self Injury and other serious issues such as Bullying and Depression.
- You can be positive by repeating positive affirmations to yourself. On the Teen Central website, you can go to the Tools tab to download helpful resources like Positive Reminder, Positive Talk and Support Plan. Write down some things you’re grateful for in a daily journal and read inspirational quotes. Keep yourself from spiralling out of control by always having hope and something to look forward to, like a favorite book you enjoy reading or new movie you want to see. Find something innocent to laugh at such as cartoons, comics or humorous movies.
- You can try using creativity to express your feelings in a healthy way by coloring in a coloring book, drawing, painting, playing a musical instrument, doing creative writing or listening to music that you can relate to among others.
- You can let your negative feelings out by writing them down when you need to.
- Spirituality can help you understand that everything happens for a reason and life is about learning lessons. For example, maybe you’ve been abused or bullied and you deserve to learn to love yourself more. Meditation, prayer and yoga can calm the mind, body and spirit. Attending church services can also make your life more meaningful.
- Volunteering can help you be more positive and give your life meaning and a sense of purpose. Some ways to volunteer include helping out at an animal shelter, reading to children at your local library, planting trees or by supporting other teens for a crisis textline among others. Find opportunities online or in your area by heading to websites like Volunteermatch.
- If you self-harm because you’ve been bullied or abused, you may benefit from learning to keep healthy boundaries. No one has the right to force themselves on you in any way. You have the right to be yourself and say how you feel. This includes saying no when you want to. A trusted therapist can help you understand what’s wrong with you so you can deal with past or current issues, have peace of mind and live a normal life. Not all therapists deal with self-harm the right way. Be patient in finding one that has relevant experience and who you feel comfortable and safe with. Listen to your instincts.
- If people, such as family or others, have a negative effect on your well-being, it’s probably best to stay away from them as much as possible or even end the relationship. The Tools tab on the Teen Central website has resources called 8 Signs of Healthy Relationships and 8 Signs of Unhealthy Relationships that you can read.
- You can find alternative ways of dealing with your emotional turmoil besides self-harm. Self-harm is dangerous and eventually only makes things worse. You can seriously injure yourself and increase your chances of becoming majorly depressed, addicted to alcohol and drugs, or even committing suicide. People use self-harm to deal with difficult situations and unpleasant feelings. Alternative ways to cope with intense emotions include expressing your feelings in a daily journal, writing down your negative feelings then ripping the paper up, or using red paint to scribble or draw on among other things. Some people use self-harm because they feel numb or disconnected. If you do this, you can talk to a friend about any topic or take a cold shower. Those who use self-harm to soothe themselves can listen to calming music, pet a cat or dog, or cuddle up in a warm blanket. Those who use self-harm to deal with anger can do vigorous exercise or scream into a pillow.
- Identify what feelings (anxiety, emptiness, loneliness, shame, anger, sadness, etc.) make you want to self-harm so you can learn new ways to cope with your problems. If you can’t identify which feelings trigger your self-harm, you need to be more emotionally aware by paying attention to your feelings and feeling them in the moment. These may scare you but will fade if you don’t obsess.
- No one deserves to hate themselves. You can love yourself by practicing regular self-care. Try getting enough sleep, eating healthy, exercising regularly and spend time in nature among other things.
- What would a list of the many ways that you deserve to love yourself and live a positive life look like?
- In what ways can getting help make your life easier now and in the future?
- In what ways can spirituality help you have peace of mind?
- How can having a positive mindset help you live a better life now and in the future?