Speaking to Loved Ones About Your Self-Harm
It is terrifying to talk about your self-harm if you are having difficulty coming to terms with it yourself. It is even scarier to talk to loved ones about your self-harm issues because it can be just as scary for them too. Not many people understand why self-injurers do what they do and where the need to cut or burn drives from. Sometimes, even the self-harmer doesn't know why or how they started to do what they do. Distraction? Accident? Boredom? No matter what the trigger was and how it started, self-injury becomes an addiction and it can be terrifying to try to make others understand it.
Telling Family and Friends About Your Self-Harm
In this self-harm video, I discuss some of the difficulties you may encounter in speaking to loved ones about self-harm. (read: How Do You Tell Someone You Self-Injure) It can be an anxiety-ridden time talking about this issue, but it is crucial when trying to move forward. I also share some of the issues I had along the way and how, even now, it is tough to bring up my past as a self-harmer.
APA Reference
Aline, J.
(2013, June 25). Speaking to Loved Ones About Your Self-Harm, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 5 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/speakingoutaboutselfinjury/2013/06/speaking-to-loved-ones-about-your-self-harm
Author: Jennifer Aline Graham
It is so important that we not ignore the issues of self harm. As therapist and loved ones of those we see harming themselves, we must find a way to teach those harming healthy outlets of expression, a way to use their voice and to not stuff their emotions. Seeking mental health counseling is the first step in learning to cope with your emotions in a healthy way.