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SELF HARM
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
There are a lot of myths about self harm aren't there, but it's a lot more common than we think.
Did you know that in some hospitals they refuse to treat a victim of self harm? sad isn't it.
I know a lot about self harm because of personal experience. I didn't do it for attention and I'm not a masochist, as some people believe. It was a cry for help and I really didn't know how else to deal with my emotions, especially after my grandparents died so close to each other.
If you're a victim you really should tell someone, don't be ashamed or think you're a freak. If anyone says anything about it to offend you, hold your head high and tell yourself that you're going to get better and that nobody's gonna trample you down.
Easier said than done isn't it, the hardest part is telling someone, believe me. I used to cut myself and take solvents for about two years and when I got councilling things improved (although prozac helped).
I used to try to sort out my problems by myself, I bottled up my feelings and kept my traumas from the prying eyes of others. If I'd have discussed my problems with other people I wouldn't have got as bad as I did. There's someone who everyone can trust, maybe a friend, relative, collegue or teacher. And it won't be as bad as you think, nothing ever is.
I recovered. At one point I even lost my faith. At the time I didn't see a future in my life.
Now? I'm a student studying for politics, english, sociology and media studies. I'm ok aren't I? To look at me now and to look back then you'd see two different people.
I believe that there's hope for everyone, if you self harm don't be ashamed, thousands if not millions of people go through it for different reasons.
If you know someone who self harms, don't tell them to "cheer up" or "snap out of it" because THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
Why not try these links I've found, http://www.freespace.virgin.net/basement.project for the WAVES site
http://www.ncb.org.uk/selfharm.htm
These are all the links I have at the moment so I really hope they work (because I got them out of a leaflet). Please add any links if you have them, if I come across anymore I'll post them on the board.
~*GOOD LUCK, MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU.*~
love from lady liberty.
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS THE WORD...
[This message has been edited by ~*LADY LIBERTY*~ (edited 20-09-2000).]
Did you know that in some hospitals they refuse to treat a victim of self harm? sad isn't it.
I know a lot about self harm because of personal experience. I didn't do it for attention and I'm not a masochist, as some people believe. It was a cry for help and I really didn't know how else to deal with my emotions, especially after my grandparents died so close to each other.
If you're a victim you really should tell someone, don't be ashamed or think you're a freak. If anyone says anything about it to offend you, hold your head high and tell yourself that you're going to get better and that nobody's gonna trample you down.
Easier said than done isn't it, the hardest part is telling someone, believe me. I used to cut myself and take solvents for about two years and when I got councilling things improved (although prozac helped).
I used to try to sort out my problems by myself, I bottled up my feelings and kept my traumas from the prying eyes of others. If I'd have discussed my problems with other people I wouldn't have got as bad as I did. There's someone who everyone can trust, maybe a friend, relative, collegue or teacher. And it won't be as bad as you think, nothing ever is.
I recovered. At one point I even lost my faith. At the time I didn't see a future in my life.
Now? I'm a student studying for politics, english, sociology and media studies. I'm ok aren't I? To look at me now and to look back then you'd see two different people.
I believe that there's hope for everyone, if you self harm don't be ashamed, thousands if not millions of people go through it for different reasons.
If you know someone who self harms, don't tell them to "cheer up" or "snap out of it" because THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
Why not try these links I've found, http://www.freespace.virgin.net/basement.project for the WAVES site
http://www.ncb.org.uk/selfharm.htm
These are all the links I have at the moment so I really hope they work (because I got them out of a leaflet). Please add any links if you have them, if I come across anymore I'll post them on the board.
~*GOOD LUCK, MY THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU.*~
love from lady liberty.
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS THE WORD...
[This message has been edited by ~*LADY LIBERTY*~ (edited 20-09-2000).]
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Comments
As a manic depressive I found a good site on depression, good place to learn how you or a loved one may be feeling and how to get help, it's an exellent self-help group. Hope it may help others like it does me.
http://www.depressionalliance.org/
take care
Luka
The river is wide and oh so deep
Take care
Luka
Anyone that has fixed false perceptions that occur in the absence of an external sensory stimuli, ie hallucinations - believes them to be very real. They can affect any of the five senses, so people may hear, see, smell, touch or taste which doesn't exist.
This happens in mental health problems such as schizophrenia.
If you agree with them, you are in a way reinforcing them, but if you deny their existence, you cause problems because they are very real to that person.
The kindest way to deal with friends who display this kind of behaviour is to say,
"I believe you believe it to be real"
[This message has been edited by derby county (edited 21-09-2000).]
Love lolly xxx
"You cant see the picture when you're standing in the frame"
Even though I am a trained psychiatric nurse, I am currently on anti-depressants and feeling my life is s**t, due to constant back pain, not being able to work in my career again etc, etc.
So its good to talk at the saying goes!!
Obviously I don't know exactly what your job entails Derby, but don't you think that you are continuing your career here? <IMG alt="image" alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif">
J9
[This message has been edited by j9j9 (edited 22-09-2000).]
I guess by being in a bad state myself, at least I can empathise with the grief that people are going through when they are having crises.
As oppose to when i worked in psychiatric hospitals, guessing what people who were depressed etc were feeling, when I had no idea how it really feels.
Though if I am being honest I do feel as if thesite gives me the opportunity to try and help people - I guess it is a pity otherwise to let the little knowledge and experience I do have go to waste.
Hope u manage to get through your depression. Its a horrible thing being depressed and not something there is an easy cure for. My auntie was a psychologist and she got depressed and started drinking, she is now an alcholic. It just goes to show that it can happen to anybody, even the people who r there to help u get through your shit. I find that kinda reasuring, as it prooves that shit can happen to all types of people, and that helps u feel less alone I guess.
Take care and hope things turn out ok soon!
Lots of love Lolly xxxx
You're right, shit can happen to anyone. You just don't know what is around the corner.
I am sorry to hear about your auntie. Though it just backs up the fact that health care professionals are far more likely to end up as alcoholics than pub landlords etc.
I nursed in derby, and I never got to work out of the area, you know family etc, so I don't know Edgeware's unit. By the way, I hope you are coping with your pregnancy, and I am glad to hear you are not cutting.
One thing I would say to people is
You never know what is around the corner, plan your life - but don't forget to live it.
derby
Anyway, getting back to planning your life. I tried to do that many a time, but there always seems to be another surprise lurking round the corner. Some sort of life changing event that will fuck up whatever I planned to do anyway ha ha ha! This is why I gave up planning anything, I think its a much better way to live lol!!!
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS THE WORD...
I was first diagnosed with severe clinical depression at age 7, and have been fighting it ever since. One of my main symptoms has been self-destructive and self-abusive beahviour. It isn't the same action every time, but I've come to realize that the intent is always the same. I've always been a cutter, which I was so embarrassed about I couln't even tell my doctor. I also do things like starve myself, drive dangerously, and abuse drugs.
One of the reasons I think it's hard to talk about it is that people don't understand that it isn't a suicide attempt- even most doctors. We are trying to feel better, not kill ourselves. Mick33 knows what he is saying. For me anyhow, I don't get sad when depressed, I feel absolutely no emotion whatsoever. The act of physically hurting myself allows me to feel like I'm alive.
One of my greatest fears with telling anyone about it is that in Canada (I'm sure there are similar laws elsewhere), doctors are required by law to have you detained for at least 72 hours if they suspect you are suicidal.With the misunderstandings about self-abusers, I think people are afraid to tell others about it.
From what I understand, this stuff is pretty common amongst people with depression and other disorders.
Thank you so much for having the courage to bring up this subject
I've just been accepted into a trial therapy program for self-abusers at a prestigious hospital. Apparently it is the first one receiving government funding in this country.It will be a combination of behavioural modification and regular talking therapy.
I don't start for several weeks, but would anyone like to know some of the techniques they teach me when I start? (assuming they are helpful, of course).
Would it be useful if I post them here or are people bored of the topic?
I haven't self-harmed in a month!
Unfortunately, I've had both a drug and self-harm relapse that is happening as I write this. I've been injecting cocaine for 24 hours straight now. I know that I'm hurting myself in two different ways (using drugs and choosing to inject them).
I think this relapse has happened because there has been lot of stress in my life in the past week. A very good friend has turned her back on me, and tomorrow I start back at work for the first time in 3 1/2 months.
Or maybe I'm just making excuses. Not sure.
One thing I've learnt from my experiences is that life can be a pain in the fucking ass, but it goes on. Having someone turn their back on you hurts like hell, but my personal experiences have made me stronger.
Keep safe,
love
LIBERTY
and burnout_girl how you doing as well?
http://www.thesite.org/health/headstate/self_harm.html
http://www.thesite.org/health/headstate/recovering_from_self_harm.html
Love & Apologies to you all
Luka
Good luck.