Self-harm

If you feel the urge to self-harm, you are not alone. There is support for you. Follow this guidance from the Mental Health Foundation.

Talk to someone
Talk to someone you trust about how you're feeling. The Mental Health Foundation has ideas about how to speak to your GP about your mental health.

Make a ‘safe box’

Create a box of things that make you feel good, such as:

• Make a Safety Plan - A supportive tool you can use for yourself or to help a friend.
• A list of people you can speak to.
• Activities you enjoy, like colouring books.
• Your favourite things.
• Sensory objects, with smells, textures or sounds that make you feel good.
• A list of things that calm you when you feel the urge to self-harm.
• Positive affirmations – a list of reminders and statements to ground yourself in the moment, such as ‘It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. I’ve gotten through it in the past.’

Do something you enjoy

Do something that helps you feel calm, joyful or connected with others-whether it’s listening to music, being in nature or creating something.

Surf the urge
Urges to self-harm can be like a wave. Surfing the wave is a mindfulness technique to accept the thoughts without acting on them. To do this you can try to the following tips outlined by the Mental Health Foundation:

Observe it: Close your eyes and notice where you feel the urge in your body. Describe it without judgement - does it feel hot, cold, heavy or tight? Does it have a colour or size?

Accept it: Acknowledge the urge without fighting it. Remember, the feeling is okay, and you don’t have to act on it.

Notice your breathing: Simply observe your breath moving in and out without trying to change it.

Bring your attention back to your body: Return your attention to where you felt the urge. Has it changed? If it grows stronger, pay attention to your breathing again. Send kindness to yourself and the area of discomfort.