Self-Injury Awareness Day: How To Raise Awareness And Support Survivors
Each year on March 1st, people across the United States recognize Self-Injury Awareness Day. This day raises awareness for the challenges faced by people who experience feelings, thoughts, and behaviors related to self-injury. Many people don’t necessarily have suicidal thoughts or intentions to hurt themselves, but self-injury can sometimes lead to significant harm or death if a person doesn’t receive help. Below, explore the importance of Self-Injury Awareness Day and ways to support those who engage in self-harm or find help.
What is Self-Injury Awareness Day?
Self-Injury Awareness Day was started to raise awareness of the mental health challenges that can lead to self-injury. This international event was established in 1999 by an organization called LifeSIGNS. Self-Injury Awareness Day can serve to fight the stigma surrounding self-injury.
Many people experience emotional distress and mental health conditions without anyone knowing. Even close family members may not be aware that someone they love is experiencing self-injury. With more awareness of mental illness, getting people the help they need to prevent self-injury and suicide may be more accessible.
What are the signs of self-injury?
Self-injury may be difficult to detect. Some people may have scars that are covered by clothing or accessories. Scars or wounds may appear on their hands, wrists, or legs as a result of cutting, punching, or using other intentional methods to cause harm. Other possible signs of self-injury may include avoidance of relationships, low self-esteem, or difficulty handling emotions. People may self-injure as a way to address negative feelings. They may gain relief from significant distress and experience a temporary positive feeling, but this sensation is often followed by feelings of shame and a sense of isolation.
What can you do to help prevent self-injury?
While preventing self-injury may not always be possible, some strategies may help mitigate this behavior. If you notice signs of self-injury in a person or even signs of mental health challenges without self-injury, you might consider talking to the person one-to-one.
What do you do if someone doesn’t respond well to your attempt to help?
If you think they might not respond well, you might consider talking to someone closer to them. You could also subtly recommend a therapy service or support group for the person if you think they might be receptive. Doing so can be a complex decision, as knowing how a person will respond is not always possible. However, taking action may help save a person from serious self-harm.
How can you make a difference on Self-injury Awareness Day on March 1st?
There are numerous ways that you can contribute to Self-Injury Awareness Day. One possible way to raise awareness is to wear an orange ribbon, symbolizing self-harm awareness. You can also spread the word through social media and WhatsApp groups, which may encourage others to post messages about self-harm awareness. Raising awareness doesn’t have to involve an extensive campaign. Posting online may be enough to show people who self-harm that there are people who care.
Therapy for thoughts about self-injury
If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts about self-harm or suicidal thoughts, you can seek help 24/7 by calling or texting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Speaking with a licensed mental health professional may help you receive long-term coping mechanism support. A therapist may help you explore the root causes of your distress in a safe space without judgment and teach you new ways to cope with challenging emotions and thoughts.
Online therapy for mental health challenges
If you’re uncomfortable speaking with a therapist about self-harm or other challenges, you might consider online therapy. An online therapy platform like BetterHelp lets you connect with a therapist via audio, video, or live chat. Online therapy also allows you to write to your therapist at any time, day or night, through in-app messaging, and they’ll respond when they can. This option may prove helpful for times when you experience significant emotional challenges between therapy sessions.
Online therapy is effective in numerous peer-reviewed studies. One study found that online cognitive-behavioral therapy was effective for depression, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, among other mental illnesses. These conditions may be common among people who engage in self-harm.
Takeaway
Self-Injury Awareness Day can serve as a time to spread awareness of mental health challenges and encourage people to seek help. You can raise awareness of self-harm by spreading information on social media and by starting conversations about mental health with those around you. Doing so may encourage people to seek help for mental health challenges they may be afraid to discuss with others.
If you are experiencing mental health challenges, know that you don’t have to face them alone. Help is available through therapy—both in person and online. Consider reaching out to a therapist in one of these modes for further support and compassionate guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Below are some common questions related to Self-Injury Awareness Day.
How do you help someone who is self-harming?
If you notice someone harming themselves, you might ask them if there’s a way you can support them. Some people may be open to talking about what they’re experiencing. If they’re not interested in talking to you, you might recommend that they talk to a mental health professional or someone at a support line.
How can you celebrate Self-Injury Awareness Day on March 1st?
Self-Injury Awareness Day, sometimes called Self-Harm Awareness Day, takes place on March 1st. You can use this day to raise awareness of mental health challenges by posting about self-injury awareness on social media. You can also honor those who have lost someone to self-harm and let them know that their loved one has not been forgotten.
What should you not say to someone who self-harms?
People who engage in self-harm often feel bad about what they’ve done, so it’s typically best to avoid statements that come across as judgmental. Many people are trying to stop self-harming, but they may relapse from time to time. It may be best to avoid asking why they self-injure and listen and offer support.
How do you reduce self-injurious behavior in adults?
People who engage in self-injury may already be in treatment. It may help for them to regularly speak with a therapist and a support group specifically designed for those who self-harm. Adults may benefit from exploring what situations or emotions tend to lead them to engage in self-harm. When they encounter these situations, they can reach out to a support person until challenging emotions subside.
How do you stop yourself from self-harm relapsing?
You may benefit from writing down a safety plan and removing objects that can be used for self-harm. In addition, you may educate yourself on situations that lead to self-harm so that you can get to a supportive environment when you face these situations.
Some people may also benefit from a strategy called TIPP, which stands for temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation. You can practice the TIPP skill in the following ways:
- Temperature: When you experience intense emotions, reduce your temperature to reset your nervous system. For example, you can wet your face with cool water or take a walk outside if the weather is cool.
- Intense exercise: Consider doing a strong cardio workout, which may help with intense emotions. Swimming in cold water is a way to combine the first and second two tips. However, don’t swim somewhere where you might be at risk of hypothermia.
- Paced breathing: For paced breathing, you can choose a pace that works for you. Some people find box breathing helpful, which consists of breathing in for four seconds, holding your breath for four seconds, breathing out for four seconds, and then breathing in for four seconds again.
- Progressive muscle relaxation: This skill involves tensing and relaxing individual muscle groups from the head to the toes.
How do you stop self-injurious behavior in adults?
You can’t stop someone else from partaking in self-injurious behavior. However, you may be able to take steps to support them in stopping or finding support. Approach them with empathy, understanding, and genuine care. Let them know you’re worried and want to help in whatever way you can. Tell them you can help them create a safety plan and look for resources and accompany them to an appointment if they decide to try therapy or talk to a doctor. Remember that self-harm often comes from a place of pain and difficulty coping with intense emotions. Don’t judge them or make forceful statements like, “you need to get help right now.” Instead, offer gentle suggestions. If the person is in critical condition, help them get to a hospital or call emergency services in your area. Having someone on one’s side may give one hope and inspiration to stop harming oneself.
What do you do after self-harming?
If you have self-harmed, first attend to your injury. If you are bleeding lightly, get a warm wet towel and dab the wound to wash off the blood. Then, apply an anti-bacterial cream to the wound and cover it with a bandage or paper towel, if possible. To ensure you don’t get an infection, these steps can be important. If you’re unable to do wound care yourself, go to an emergency room or urgent care clinic to get assessed. If your wounds are deep, infected, or do not stop bleeding, get emergency care immediately.
How can I recover from self-harm?
Self-harm is often caused by mental health challenges like depression. You may be able to stop self-harming by receiving treatment for the underlying cause. A therapist can be a helpful long-term option for improving your mental health. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been found particularly effective for reducing self-harming behaviors.
How can you tell if someone is self-harming?
There may be a few signs that someone is self-harming, such as suddenly wearing only long-sleeved shirts and pants, even in warm weather. In addition, someone who self-harms might isolate themselves more often or refuse to show certain parts of their body, such as when going swimming. People may also give verbal hints that they are harming themselves or thinking of doing so. If you’re worried about someone you love, tell them. Speak up, as self-harm can sometimes be a risk for suicide and can be dangerous in itself.
How do you decrease self-injurious behaviors?
You can decrease self-injurious behaviors by taking steps to avoid self-harm. Using non-harmful forms of pain or sensation instead of self-harm may be helpful, such as holding ice to your skin, touching a flame quickly, or snapping a rubber band on your wrist. However, be careful with these methods, as they can also cause harm. The most effective way to get help for self-harm is to talk to a therapist or psychiatrist about what you’re experiencing. They can help you through the root cause of your urges and come up with a safety plan for you.
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