How People Can Help!
Hey everyone! I have about a million tabs open on my phone's internet browser, and I was going through some of them today and came across a post about self-harm. It talked about things people could do to help someone battle their self-harm fight. Here's some that I've come up with-
1) Learn about it. Learn about why people self-harm, and what it means. Learn about ways to cope, learn that this is a way of coping, and it doesn't have to last forever. Differentiate the myths and facts, and know that it's OK to be scared at first! Learn that talking about it won't always cause a trigger or relapse.
2) Don't be afraid to talk about it and ask why they use self-harm. Ask in a caring and compassionate way, and respect boundaries and privacy. If they don't want to talk about it, they won't. But sometimes all they need is to be asked.
3) Going on from number 2, be ready to listen and hear the person out if they're willing to talk about their reasons. Learn to separate your emotions from theirs, and if you can't, suggest they talk to a
counselor or mental health professional.
4) Don't give a lecture or push out threats on how bad and risky self-harm is- most of the time, the person utilising self-harm knows. They know it's not a long-term solution, but it's the only way they feel they can cope at this moment, and that's OK. We just have to find new coping strategies later down the track.
5) Remind them that they're worthy, loved, valuable. Sometimes, they can feel judged and hated and ashamed, with low self-esteem and the looming guilt that self-harm can bring. It can be super helpful to be reminded of our worth and the value we bring to others in their lives. Also, it never hurts to feel appreciated <3
6) Get help for yourself if you feel you need it. There's no shame in that, and it may help your loved one see that it is OK to get help.
This has got me wondering- what are some things that people around you could do to help you fight your fight? What would you want to tell others?
We're in it together <3
