It is not a topic to be taken as a joke. When we talk about self-harm, we know what we mean. It is not a pathology. It is a means of expression. That person is inflicted harm to be able to express an emotional distress that you do not feel capable of expressing by other means. There is a close relationship between negative emotion, pain, and relief. The most widely used media are usually cuts or pangs, scratches, Burns Y hits with blunt objects.
Who is most at risk of falling into this type of practice? This is the profile:
Being a woman and a teenager.
Have low self-esteem, or a distorted image of the body.
Poor social skills, or a feeling of exclusion.
A high level of neuroticism as a personality trait.
Suffering from a psychological disorder.
What is meant by self-harm?
If you do not have any of these characteristics, or if you do, you do not feel at risk of self-harm, you can breathe easy. Surely your next question will be: Why?What are these people looking for in self-harm? Every person is a world. But these are the main reasons:
For call the atention. Possibly the most immature decision. People who self-harm to get attention, do it mostly to manipulate other people, or as a threat.
Infringe. People with so little self-esteem to the point that they hate themselves, can flagellate themselves in order to make amends for the evil that concerns their own existence. Either that, or they find in pain the just punishment for ills that do not forgive themselves.
Avoid emotional distress. Possibly the most common. This is the logic of, if your hand hurts, break your leg. The pain is above any bodily or mental sensation. When we feel pain, we stop any kind of thinking to focus on the damage. That is why it becomes a good way to control certain mental states.
Para-suicidal behaviors, or testing the ground. It does not mean that everyone who harms himself is suicidal. But at least 15% do. Self-harm becomes like a rehearsal before committing the act. With this, they test what they feel in this situation.
Taking control in situations that overwhelm us. I take as an example, girls with anorexia nervosa who also tend to self-harm. Harmful behaviors towards oneself can instill feelings of self-control, when we feel that we have no control of anything around us. I can't control the outside, but I can control my own body.
And lastly, feelings of chronic emptiness. How can people who suffer an emotional blockage, or anhedonia. Faced with the need to feel something, these people inflict pain to have some sensation, to feel that they are still alive.
How to deal with a known case of self-harm?
If you feel identified with any section, or you know someone you suspect of self-harm, surely now you are wondering: And what do I do to help?Or what do I do to stop doing it?
To help, it is always best to let the other person express themselves, without judgment. Without falling into topics such as the following:
People who self-harm are masochists.
Or those who self-harm have suffered abuse as children.
They do it to fit in or be popular.
Or are things of age, and that happens.
Or everyone who self-harms has borderline personality disorder.
Or if the injury is not serious, then there is no problem.
None of the above is correct. The only thing prejudging will do is make the boy or girl close in on himself or herself..
And if you are the person who wants to stop having these habits, there are a number of tips or tricks that you can use as a substitute for the injury itself:
For example, use other means to substitute for the injury, as it is to paint yourself with a red pen every time you want to cut yourself. Or Bandage the part you want to injure. Make the wound with makeup.
Drain off without injury. Like yelling or making a lot of noise with a musical instrument. Hitting a pillow or punching bag. Squeezing an ice cube tightly with your hand. Doing strenuous exercise for a short time. Or eat something very spicy.
And the third way, express yourself however you can. Talk to someone you know who is sensitive enough to listen to you. Keep a journal. Paint or draw what you feel. Or write how you feel on a piece of paper, then tear it up.
Am i destined to self destruct?
With the above, at least, you can begin to control your internal state. But, the real advice, what those who want to help should do; what you really should do, even if you don't want to, is seek help from a professional. Self-harm is a very serious symptom, and should not be taken lightly.
Get over your shame and your remorse. Accept your emotions and learn to express yourself in other ways. You have every right in the world to feel bad. You are human. We all do it. But you must find a way to feel good without resorting to wounds.
If you think this post can be useful, do not hesitate to share it with all your friends. And if you want to have another way to deal with this issue, don't miss this video.
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