Self Harm/Injury and First Aid - Great resources found inside
*Trigger warning*
* This post contains words that might be triggering or upsetting*
I understand that life can be so tough and stressful sometimes and self harm or self injury might seem like a stress reliever. But there's always another safe and healthy option!
Those who're considering self harm right now :
-Find yourself a quiet,calm place
-Checkout the below links
You can hold off those urges and do something absolutely amazing!
\(^o^)/ *big hugs*
1. 146 Things To Do Besides Self Harm
2. Resources and Hotlines to help you
-If you've injured yourself and are unsure about the first aid :
Take a deep breath and calm yourself down. Try to maintain a steady breathing pattern and call for help immediately.
Mean while, to minimize the damage,here's what you can do:
Cutting
If your method of SI is by cutting,make sure that the blades are clean.
-Keep some ice and a first aid kit by your side (in case if you don't have the cotton pads and gauze,you can use a clean towel/cloth)
-Wrap ice in a clean cloth and apply it over your cut,ice helps to stop the bleeding and numb the area a little.
-If the bleeding doesn't stop,put a cotton pad/towel/clean cloth over the cut and apply pressure,hold it for 3-5 minutes.
If the area of the wound is large
Try to squeeze in the ends and follow the above procedure.
Call for help.
When direct pressure is not appropriate, such as when something is stuck in the would, then you may use indirect pressure by pressing the would together – do not remove the object, but call for an ambulance
Burning
If your method of SI is by scalding or using a heated object then
-Remove the clothing around the burn by either taking it off or by cutting it away. Remove constricting objects,if any (watches,rings etc)
-Bring down the temperature of the burnt area by rinsing it with cold running water for at least 10minutes.
-If you notice any blisters,use cool water
Do not apply any lotions/moisturizers/balms
-A loose dressing of gauze can help to prevent infections
-Some chemicals can also damage the skin tissue
-If its a liquid,
-Do NOT use alkaline to neutralize it.
-Wash it off with lukewarm water for at least 30 minutes
-If its a solid,gently brush it off and wash it.
-IMPORTANT- if anything is stuck to the burn,DO NOT remove it.
Overdosing/Ingesting Toxic substances
If you have taken an overdose or have ingested toxic substances, then medical attention must be sought immediately. Sometimes the effects can be delayed, so even if you feel fine at the moment you might not be. Never induce vomiting.
Take along the package/cover of the substance/medicine you've ingested when you go to the A&E.
Not seeking help can cause irreversible damage and may lead to death,even if it wasn't what you intend to occur.
Call for help immediately without wasting anytime:
-If the cut is deep and has exposed underlying muscle, this is dark red in color and may look like a slab of meat;If you have lost sensation in the area of injury, or more widespread; you may have damaged a nerve;
-If a burn is on a sensitive area of the body (e.g. face), over a joint or on the palm – the healing process creates scar tissue that can shrink the skin, causing potential movement difficulties for life;
-If a burn is severe, or large in area;
-If a burn is caused by chemicals;
-If after a few hours or several days you can see the wound is infected; it could be red, sore, swollen or weeping
Remember,here at 7cups we do not encourage or support Self Harm, but we want to encourage and support you to become safe, happy and healthy. Do not be afraid to reach and seek medical support if you should need it. And we are proud of you for being here and wanting help! We have faith in you!-@StandForFreedom
Here is a lovely picture for y'all from @Kash216
Don't ever lose that beautiful warrior spirit that is burning inside of you - whatever you are going through in life, you are not alone and I'm right there beside you! 
And a lovely piece of text from@Essieluvsu
A sad truth to start; too often self harm support comes packed with judgement. The stigma attached to those who actively mar their own bodies is that of extreme nonplussed sciolism. There is a fundamental misunderstanding at the center of the separation between self harmers and self helpers. As in, ‘just stop, honey or ‘why ruin your body like that?. No, no. This will need to stop. The truth, of course, for those of us who struggle with self harm day in and day out is that its no easier to stop than, say, yawning. The important thing is, to all self harmers, none of this is your fault. That is the paramount truth I want to share with all. It isnt your fault and you arent selfish. You are a beautiful person who has found a way to release emotional pain. Maybe sometimes you feel like you need to punish your body for mistakes. Or, perhaps, more purely physical motives such as blood letting. You are a beautiful person who wants it to stop. Since I was 16 years old Ive been wearing long sleeves in my warm climate. The day I took off my jacket in class and everyone saw my arms was a dividing line. So, we feel alienated, as if we are standing in a corner of a big giant room populated with ‘non self harmers. No more! I want this topic to be out in the public consciousness because it is real and needs to be confronted. I want you to know that self harm can stop, you can find a way. That statement is has no judgmental barbs or victorious self aggrandizing attached to it. I know those who were at one point cutting every single day who now have been on year long streaks of no self harm. The brutal truth is the itch will never go away, it will become manageable. In five years you might be walking with a loved one and see someone from high school. You see him and think yes, hes the one who put glue in my hair, and then you feel your skin. But, in time this will be merely a reminder of your triumph instead of a call to self harm. Your scars and cuts, wounds, all of you is unknown human symmetry. These represent, simply, vim. They mark you a survivor not a failure, a live-r and not a die-r. You felt the unbearable torridness of life and came out the other end. And so this is to say to you that I love you, and I am proud of you, and I exalt your existence. I want it to be an impossibility for someone to make you feel little, because you are a sky-scraping tornado of true grit.
Finally,I just want to remind you that you're cared for and loved. And you're not alone,we're here for you! We always will be. :')
Thanks for putting this together, Chioo!
@Kash216 Your drawing literally made me weak in the knees, it is so poignant. The color and subtle cut lines are just raw and go straight to my heart. Somehow through simplicity you were able to capture self harm in its most abstruse form, lines and marks and scars and why? So beautiful! Thank you !
I am SO glad to see this. I think it is extremely important. Just the other day I went over posts and wondered if anyone ever make sure a person is physically safe after SI. Thank you so much for these guidelines. It might also be meaningful having a first aid app on your phone and emergency numbers ready to be used. You don't want to start scampering when you're faced with an emergency. Thanks for this guys. Such an important forum.
You can find the emergency numbers and other hotlines in the second link. 
Thanks. I thought having numbers ready for your town specifically could he helpful. :-)
I understand but it's really hard to collect specific town's numbers so maybe we could all take up the initiative of saving up the local emergency numbers? :)
really great job welldone and thankyou!!
If you feel angry, frustrated, unable to calm down:
- cutting a PET bottle (empty eh!) or a piece of very thick cardboard or a towel or sock.
- create a fabric doll (with a sock, for example) to represent what put you in this state. Starts, cut down, tramples.
- flatten an aluminum reserve cans as quick as possible.
- a boxer punching bag.
- hit the wall with a cushion
- tear an old newspaper or phone book.
- a drawing or photo, marking in red ink the cuts you want to do. Tear the image.
- make snowmen in modeling clay and destroy
- throw ice cubes against a wall (it explodes, it's good for the nerves!)
- breaking wood sticks.
- rip garbage bags with hands.
- increase the volume of music and dance.
- tidy his room - or the entire house.
- go for a jog, running, kickboxing.
- go bowling - a physical and noisy activity
- put heavy shoes and stomp a good shot
- play handball or tennis
- talk to someone
- Scream in a pillow, with loud music or in the car with the windows closed.
Note: These things tend to work better if you insult at high voice what you're destroying. Slowly begins by explaining why you're angry to finish swearing and yelling if you need it. It's okay, it's good to let out his emotions and most important is that you as the others are safe.
If you feel sad, blue, depressed, unhappy
- take a hot bath with oil that smells or foam
- sit comfortably in a chair or under the duvet with a hot chocolate and a good book
- babysitter to yourself: get out your favorite blanket or stuffed animal tone, lulls you in a rocking chair.
- lighting incense or smelling scented candles.
- listen to soothing music
- Gently spread the scented body lotion on the parts you want to cut.
- call a friend and talk about things that you enjoy both
- make tea with your favorite snacks and settle in front of a good movie or a good book.
visit a friend
- to write a love letter to yourself by making a list of all its qualities
- do stretching or yoga
- read children's books
- watching his favorite movie
- draw the outline of his hand on a sheet of paper and on each finger, write something that makes you feel safe and happy and that corresponds to all of the 5 senses.
- join the chatrooms and having a good chat
- connect 1-on-1 with a listener on 7cups
Babysitting myself, wrapped in a favourite blanket, rocking, humming lullabies really has helped me on several occasions. I also hold a teddy bear or soft pillow against my body where I feel my emotional pain. I wrap the blanket around me as tight as I can - it feels like someone is holding me.
If you need to feel, sensation, to feel pain, you feel dissociated feelings of unreality, depersonalization
- tighten ice in the hands (putting an ice cube in a place where you want to make you burn will cause intense pain sensation and leave a red mark, much like a burn without scars).
- put his fingers in ice for 1 minute
- chew a piece of ginger (note: it's really hard..)
- putting the vix ointment or other stuff that stinks (Tiger Balm etc.) under his nose
- type in the set of a table with his palm
- put a rubber band around his wrist and let go against the skin
- take a cold bath
- sucking a sweet icy mint or a candy acid
- stomping ground
- focus on his breathing. Pay attention to how the chest and abdomen move with each breath.
- make observation exercises, describe in detail its surroundings (eg I am sitting on a chair I feel the softness of my skirt against my legs I feel the cold air fan on my shoulder..) or continuously repeat a sentence that says who you are and where you are (eg: my name is _____, I am in my room, I ____ years.)
- put your hand in front of your eyes and remember every thing for each finger representing each direction (see above)
- Shower alternating hot and cold suddenly
- I vigorously rub the entire body with the palms or with sth rough (not enough to hurt me), like dry washcloth
If you need need concentration or distraction
- perform tasks that require concentration. Play Tetris or Minesweeper on the computer, write a program for the computer, do embroidery or sewing, coloring a coloring book.
- eating nuts or raisins, stopping at each step. What a feeling is what it feels like to hold it in his hand? What is its texture, its color? What is symmetry? What is that smell him? What is it that makes you think that smell? What a feeling is it like to put it in his mouth. What taste he has, how it does it taste changes as you chew.
- choose an object in the room. The carefully consider and write a detailed description: height, weight, texture, shape, color, uses, etc.
- choose a random object like a paper clip and try to find him 30 different uses.
- Choose a topic and do research on the web
- Learn an other language, practice with a listener who speak an other language than the your.
- Join group discussion, it can needed a lot of attention and concentration.
If you need to see blood or injuries
If you need to see blood
- be written on with a red felt
- Heat a small bottle of red food coloring in a cup of hot water. Squeeze the bottle against the skin and pretend to cut with the bottle while watching the liquid flow from the bottle on the counterfeit note.
- make ice cubes with red food coloring and drawing on his skin.
- be painted over with red gouache
If you need to see scars or scabs
- getting henna tattoos house. By putting the henna paste on the skin and letting it dry, you get crusts quite convincing that leave traces of red-orange.
- draw on your skin what you want see
- play the game of 15 minutes: distract yourself for 15 minutes to hurt you by telling you that after this, you have the right to cut you. After 15 minutes, trying to still hold 15 minutes and so on.
Thanks a lot for posting this
Guys, this is awesome, well done!