Are You Struggling with Self-Harm?

Your pain feels insurmountable. You are afraid to address it because you fear it will overwhelm you.

You don't want to hurt yourself, but you find that it helps (at least temporarily) to take your mind off of your crazy intense feelings. You want to feel like you are in control.  Unfortunately, the relief is short-lived. Inevitably, the pain returns and so does the urge to hurt yourself.

It's a cycle you feel stuck in...and you hate it!

It's so frustrating. You want to stop! Sometimes you feel like you don't have a choice because you don't know how else to find relief. This has been your secret for far to long. You are embarrassed and maybe even a little scared to talk about this because you are afraid that people won't understand.

The truth is you deserve to feel better. You can feel better. You just need some help though to get you to the other side of this mountain. You need a guide that knows that terrain and cares enough to help keep you safe while you travel this difficult road. 

Let me help you understand why you self-harm. After all, it's merely a symptom of deeper unacknowledged pain. Together, we will work on healing your heart. You need a safe place where you feel cared for, heard, and understood.

I will support you and be your biggest advocate. You can do this and I can help you!

Reasons to Stop Self-Injury

You may feel relief, but you know from experience that the relief is temporary!  Often after giving in to the urge, feelings of shame and frustration creep in. Which means, every time you give in, you end up feeling even worse about yourself.  So, self-injury ends up costing you more in the long run.

Self-harming behaviors can affect the way you look an feel about yourself. You may end up with scars on your body that you don't want people to see and certainly don't want to explain. 

Alcoholics Anonymous has a saying that goes something like, "You are only as sick as your secrets." It's an odd truth, but when you say something out loud, it somehow loses power. Though talking about this is difficult, it is a really important first step toward recovery. Also, you can't have authentic relationships when you are keeping secrets. This leaves you incredibly lonely and without a support system. Which is the opposite of what you need!

Another truth to consider is that the more you repeat something, the more it becomes ingrained. This behavior can become automatic and addictive. You may have started this to feel like you were in control, but eventually you can end up controlled by the impulses to hurt yourself. Instead, learn to control saying "no" to what bad for you and "yes" to what is good!

If you don't learn how to deal with your feelings in a healthy way, you have a higher risk of depression, suicide, and other addictive behaviors. The scary thing is that you are risking your long-term physical and mental health.

Besides, you are missing out on learning more positive and effective ways to feel better!

The bottom line is that there are better and healthier ways to deal with your pain. I am not saying that it will be easy, but I promise that it's worth it. It's also POSSIBLE!

So, be brave and get help today!

Self-Harm and Suicide

Most of the time, people who hurt themselves don't want to end their life. Their choice to harm themselves is their way of trying to deal with pain. Self-harming behaviors such as cutting, burning, picking, hitting oneself, or other intentional ways of causing physical harm, though serious, are not the same as having thoughts or a plan for suicide. However, in the long-term, these behaviors can increase the risk of suicide, so get help right away. 

If you are feeling suicidal and need help now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the U.S. at (800) 273-8255 or dial 911.