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When your boyfriend/girlfriend self-harms
BillieTheBot
Posts: 8,737 Bot
When your boyfriend/girlfriend self-harms
It can be hard when a partner self-harms. The Mix helps you support your boyfriend or girlfriend.
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[edited by moderator]
Hi @elliot_1156
Sorry to hear about your girlfriend’s self-harm episode. It sounds like it was really difficult for you to be unwell yourself and still try to support your girlfriend when she was going through a rough time too. It’s understandable that you would’ve panicked on hearing your girlfriend was self-harming and texted her best friend, and then later told her parents. Even though this may have triggered your girlfriend further, it sounds like you were doing the best you can- you definitely haven’t failed her!
It’s hard when your partner is self-harming, and natural that you would want to help. But as the article suggests, your girlfriend needs to figure out why she is self-harming, and what she can do instead. Perhaps, if she is interested, you can show her this article on coping tips and distractions: https://www.themix.org.uk/mental-health/self-harm/self-harm-coping-tips-and-distractions-5696.html You could also try encouraging her to seek professional help from a counsellor, or reach out for support online such as RecoverYourLife https://www.recoveryourlife.com/forum/
Simply being there and listening to your girlfriend can be helpful, and it’s also important to set boundaries and let her know what you can and can’t deal with when it comes to self-harm. Remember to look after yourself too