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Jenna profile picture
Things no one tells you about Self-Harm: Trigger Warning
by Jenna
Last post
 5 hours ago
...See more Everyone mentions the same things when they talk about self-harm. This is what I wish someone told me about self-harm before I fell into its tight gripping claws. 1) It's not only the cuts/bruises/burns/scratches that you have to hide. You have to hide the bloodied tissues, the used band-aids, the band-aid wrapper, and the thing you used to harm. 2) When you shower the dried blood drips out of your band-aid and down your body creating little dark red, almost brown, colored streams. It scares you at first because you think it's opened again. 3) It becomes an addiction. It becomes the only thing that helps. 4) It eventually doesn't help anymore but you keep doing it in the hope it will. 5) Your body will scar and at first, you will like it but eventually, you get sick looking at them. 6) On a bad day, you run out of space. 7) Your band-aids will soak through your jeans or top after a shower and make an obvious square or rectangle patch. 8) They start to smell bad if not looked after. 9) You constantly think about them. 10) Your sleep will hurt and every move you make will too when they are fresh. You act as you like it. You don't. 11) People will never take it seriously enough. 12) They itch like mad whilst they heal. 13) You eventually get frustrated if it has no effect. 14) You don't cry when you do it. You feel nothing. Not. A. Thing. 15) It's so so so hard to escape it. 16) It isn't beautiful. It isn't a fairy tale. It won't help you find love. It is a monster that ruins lives. Please think of all these things before you hurt yourself. You don't want to. I sound like a hypocrite because I do but trust me, you don't want to fall down the dark hole that I and many other people are already in. Put down your fist, blade, lighter, cut your nail short, and get help.
ASilentObserver profile picture
Shine Bright: I am SH-free for ____ Days
by ASilentObserver
Last post
 September 21st
...See more Well done! 💪✨  (Number) days free from self-harm is a significant accomplishment.  Please take a moment to acknowledge your strength and resilience and celebrate with us. Here are a few points to reflect on and celebrate:  * What helped you stay strong these past few days? Was it a specific coping mechanism, a supportive person, or a personal mantra? Share your tips to inspire others. * What positive changes have you noticed since being SH-free? Maybe you have more energy, better sleep, or a renewed sense of hope. Reflect on the progress you've made. * What are you looking forward to in the future? Use this milestone as a springboard for setting new goals or focusing on activities you enjoy. * Write a message to your future self: What words of encouragement would you tell yourself for the days ahead? Start sharing with us. We believe in you. 
ASilentObserver profile picture
Self-Harm Awareness Week: A Letter of Self-Kindness
by ASilentObserver
Last post
 September 1st
...See more Hello everyone,  This week, from March 6th to 10th, we are dedicating efforts to raise awareness about self-harm [https://www.7cups.com/forum/selfharm/WelcomesIntroductionsIcebreakers_253/SelfHarmAwarenessWeekHealingThroughSelfCompassionConnectionMarch6th10th_348138/]and foster a safe, supportive space for healing. Our theme, "Healing Through Self-Compassion & Connection," explores the importance of understanding, empathy, and practical tools for navigating difficult emotions. This exercise is part of it, and I hope you all try it.  We invite you to participate in a meaningful exercise: A Letter of Self-Kindness.  It is your safe space to express *any* feelings you have, whether positive, negative, or somewhere in between and focus on being kinder to yourself in your words. Please know there are no rules here.  You need to be honest, be vulnerable, and be you.  It is more about connecting with yourself and fostering a more mindful and kind relationship with yourself. You can do it in two ways:  1. Take a piece of paper and pen and write a letter to yourself. And let us know if you did it here in this thread and how it makes you feel.  2. If you are comfortable sharing your letter with us, you can share it here in this thread, and we all can reflect and further discuss it as you feel comfortable.   3. Anyone can do this exercise, and it is not limited to the ones who struggle with SH.  Some tips to get started * Address Yourself with Compassion: Begin your letter with a gentle and kind address, such as "Dear [Your Name]," or "To My Heart," or "To the Part of Me That Needs Kindness." * Start by acknowledging the challenges you have faced. You might write something like: "I know you've been going through a tough time," or "I see the pain you're carrying." * Write words of encouragement and support to yourself. Remind yourself that you are worthy of kindness and compassion. Whether you choose to share it with us or keep it private is entirely up to you.  We are simply here to encourage and support you on this journey of self-kindness and acceptance. Who's ready to write their letter?  Let's begin
Jenna profile picture
Things no one tells you about Self-Harm: Trigger Warning
by Jenna
Last post
 5 hours ago
...See more Everyone mentions the same things when they talk about self-harm. This is what I wish someone told me about self-harm before I fell into its tight gripping claws. 1) It's not only the cuts/bruises/burns/scratches that you have to hide. You have to hide the bloodied tissues, the used band-aids, the band-aid wrapper, and the thing you used to harm. 2) When you shower the dried blood drips out of your band-aid and down your body creating little dark red, almost brown, colored streams. It scares you at first because you think it's opened again. 3) It becomes an addiction. It becomes the only thing that helps. 4) It eventually doesn't help anymore but you keep doing it in the hope it will. 5) Your body will scar and at first, you will like it but eventually, you get sick looking at them. 6) On a bad day, you run out of space. 7) Your band-aids will soak through your jeans or top after a shower and make an obvious square or rectangle patch. 8) They start to smell bad if not looked after. 9) You constantly think about them. 10) Your sleep will hurt and every move you make will too when they are fresh. You act as you like it. You don't. 11) People will never take it seriously enough. 12) They itch like mad whilst they heal. 13) You eventually get frustrated if it has no effect. 14) You don't cry when you do it. You feel nothing. Not. A. Thing. 15) It's so so so hard to escape it. 16) It isn't beautiful. It isn't a fairy tale. It won't help you find love. It is a monster that ruins lives. Please think of all these things before you hurt yourself. You don't want to. I sound like a hypocrite because I do but trust me, you don't want to fall down the dark hole that I and many other people are already in. Put down your fist, blade, lighter, cut your nail short, and get help.
mikerou profile picture
I shouldn't, but...
by mikerou
Last post
 14 hours ago
...See more I've been considering on relapsing. I want to feel something again, I've been 2 or 3 years clean, and I tought I wouldn't do it again after being at my lowest, but now I'm low again. I want to feel stuff on my body, a sensation that makes me forget about my problems, but I really want to improve, I don't want to relapse, besides my friend has started to do it himself, and he shows the cuts to me and rubs his blood on my hands, it feels like an invitation, but no, what else can I experience that is healthy and doesn't harm me???
mgmpa profile picture
How to tell my parents?
by mgmpa
Last post
 1 day ago
...See more Hii so for a bit of context I bite myself since I was in 9th grade and more recently (10th grade) I felt like I needed something stronger so I started cutting myself. I told my best friend and she made me promise to at least think about asking to see a therapist. So I asked my mom and went there. I told the therapist about cutting and biting and she said that she would need to tell my parents and now I’m freaking out. That’s my worst nightmare. Have you ever told your parents? How did they react?
Punkola profile picture
You can do it
by Punkola
Last post
 2 days ago
...See more I’m sitting here in my during my lunch break and I got to thinking about some friends I used to have back in 99/2000 in a message board similar to this one. There weren’t a lot of outlets for this type of thing back then but that message board was very helpful. I hope this one is helpful to many of you as well. I last SI’ed about…24 or 25 years ago. I had to deal with the root cause of why I felt I had to do the things I did to myself, and those were the things that happened to me as a child. I didn’t get magically well over night. There were ups and downs, setbacks and restarts. A friend way back then suggested a few things that helped: distraction (writing, creating, walking, talking to someone), wearing a rubber band army wrist and snapping it if the urges got bad. One day I just stopped counting after a few months…and then the years started passing. Not going to cherry coat it, life is hard sometimes and there are days when I think…why? But here I am. Most of my old friends are long gone. I always remembered how much it meant to have someone stop by and say “I beat this and you can too”. So that’s my point for posting today, I guess. You can beat this. And one day, you will. Much love :) —Derrick 
braveLand4523 profile picture
Trigger warning
by braveLand4523
Last post
 3 days ago
...See more Hello I am now , i am thirteen And I self harm and i'm trying to stop , and i'm very perplexed on how to I've heard people tell me that it's super. Easy to stop and they stopped like. It was nothing that I was being dramatic and I was just faking to get attention, but im wondering if something's just wrong with me, and that's why I can't stop and I've been so stressed out cause my ex Friend told the school that I self harm and they keep bullying me calling me a faker and hitting my cuts I just self armed on my thigh before I wrote this And the best way I could describe it is my thigh looks like it went through a paper shredder And I wanna stop so bad, I don't want to have my thighs and my wrists have dried blood on them all the time.I just wanted to end , but I don't know how to stop.
Dobby777 profile picture
I relapsed after 2 months of being clean
by Dobby777
Last post
 Sunday
...See more A lot happenned this week. My friend who i wanted to get along with went back to psychriatrist after just few days of coming back from mental hospital. I tried to make her feel welcome again, but she was in crisis and needed proffessional help. It's been 2 days after i've last seen her... My grades got worse, my mom got serious unknown cramps that paralyzed her for a second out of exhaustion from working 12 hours, i might not be able to fulfill my dreams of being in theatre, because of schedule and my sleep got terrible too. All in one week. I am intense, so i was taught to control my weird habits and loud tone. I try to be unbothered by most stuff, because i know sooner or later i'll have to toughen up. I tend to speak too fast, talk too loud or do strange gestures i don't even notice myself. Any kind of academic failure just feels painful for me. My friends go through a lot and i try to comfort them as much as i know how to comfort, but i'm starting to feel helpless... I even bursted out crying during dinner time, which was very embarrassing. I hate crying even in front of most trusted people. So i just had to cut myself. I don't cut hard, i try to be careful. I do it on hips, where i can hide it under my underwear. It's the only way for me to keep my cool and not explode or whatever.
frutigerLadybug7704 profile picture
Psychosis and delusion... all in one week.
by frutigerLadybug7704
Last post
 Saturday
...See more I've always had in mind that self-harm is more than intentional physical injury, so please note that when reading what I have to say. ------------------------- I had a psychosis last week. It almost made me hurt myself with the same pens I use to journal and write down everything that comes to mind and happens through the day. Yes, those same bold and brash pens. Even one page in my gaming journal got overwhelmed with scribbles because it was just too much. I was yelling. Crying. Panting. Isolated. Everything because of a videogame I've loved since launch day (9 years ago); I keep telling myself that there's no wrong on admitting it has no future (despite getting updated last year with graphic enhancements), but I can't trust the community either. In fact, they rejected me just for being myself. I was even banned from its three art sub-communities. I was too much for them, sure, but they left so much for me to load on my back. Speaking of which, for two nights in a row, I had a panic attack and experienced delirium. Last thing I remember from the latter, I was dining Oreos. Then... I detached from reality and my own consciousness, waking up to a late night bathroom trip with no idea of what happened before bed. Before now, I underwent 11 months of a mental health crisis, and I had used 7 Cups (under a different alias) to supposedly cope, but ALSO during a crisis, I had deleted my old account. I remember when I threw a tantrum out of nowhere and accidentally hurt myself with a notebook spring. However, I have not exposed myself to intentional physical self-harm.  The crisis began around these days, last year, when I traveled to Europe (from Amsterdam to London, including Frankfurt and Paris); by day, I was having my fun, taking pictures, and respecting the locals; in return, they were welcoming. But, by night, at the hotels, I broke down into tears. Returning home, my war against suicide started. It did not worsen until this year, when my school performance dropped for two periods; there were days in which I couldn't even be productive. I tried brushing it off because I'm not the only one who's failed at least once; fortunately, I saved my subjects on the final days, and I'm recovering my steam right now. I did call my country's helpline, but it was useless; in addition to my experience, many folks out there had several (and severe) issues with it, including it redirecting to something completely different. I couldn't even say anything. I never went to therapy. I never told my family. I don't have time for friends, just like they would never have time for me. ------------------------- And yet I won the war. Alone. It hurt. It made me tearful. It scarred my mind. It's still sending its soldiers to continue hurting me, through panic, isolation, delusion, psychosis, and maybe even amnesia. It looks like I get my 7.5 hours of sleep, but I can't rest. Since the battle is making me hungrier, I might end up gaining more weight, over the weight I gained during the crisis. For this, however, I'm already fighting back by exercising, even if it's just deep stretching; since the delirium, I'm going to do what I can to avoid refined sweets, even though there are M&M's in my trail mix bags, and I'm also eating dark chocolate bites with 70% cocoa; after a blood test from not too long ago, part of the reason I'm feeling close to mental self-harm habits comes from iron deficiency, which has affected my energy and memory. It's probably why I can't remember anything about the delirium. I'm just afraid it's going to happen again. I don't have a safety plan, no one IRL to talk to, no manner of transport, no window of opportunity, and, just like I said, my journaling tools can also become weapons against my integrity, and I heavily distrust helplines. An autistic mind like mine has no margin for generic advice, grounding techniques, or deep breathing.  Let alone, when I'm doing my social service at a kindergarten and dedicate focus sessions to homework, either at home or my school's library...
ax1012 profile picture
How do I stay clean?
by ax1012
Last post
 Saturday
...See more Ive seen people stay clean for months years and im sitting here like wtf I can’t make it to a week today was supposed to be day seven but I’m back at zero and my gf saw and she isn’t mad but she’s disappointed and she told one of my friends because she knows how to deal with my *** and now they’re both disappointed and I feel like *** and how tf do I get clean my highest is six *** days im just not strong enough Ive been doing this since I was nine years old im almost fourteen and guess what my parents don’t notice anything they don’t care about me at all and Ik this my mum has said I ruined her life my being born idk anymore sorry im being annoying I’ll just shut up and suck it up like I always do cause I don’t matter
Izzyiseepy profile picture
Vent
by Izzyiseepy
Last post
 Thursday
...See more Tw: not coherent thoughts + bad thoughts I just got out of a bad mental health state and I want to go ghost again. I don't want to do anything bad to myself and I haven't but the thoughts are really eating at me. I want to go nonverbal again but idk if that will be good for me. I don't have a safe space to vent anymore because I feel that the person I used to go to doesn't want me to do so anymore. I feel so hopeless. So unworthy. I want to sleep for a while but I have so much things to do. I thought I was getting better.
wilthflower profile picture
Stopping it doesn't lessen the pain
by wilthflower
Last post
 Thursday
...See more I haven't hurt myself since 2025, I've tried my best to stop if every single time i have the urge to do so But Ths past few months, it's getting harder, and harder to stop myself I realized forcing myself to stop doesn't lessen the pain It's more painful, I don't even know what to do If stopping doesn't help And if doing makes it worse What can i do? Accept? No I don't want to But.. I tried to stop because people around me started doing sh because of me too and i don't want that. I don't, want them to be in pain, but I'm responsible for their pain Even an 11 y.o hurt herself because she copied it from me. ... Idk what to feel, what to do, or even how to react Because whatever action I'm gonna take ended up hurting me more
aquaLion1074 profile picture
Help
by aquaLion1074
Last post
 Thursday
...See more Trigger warning: Bad self harm and depression  I was sh-free for about a month but just relapsed really bad last night... Meaning my ankle looks like I put it through a shredder 😭😭. It was a really rough night with an argument with my parents apon my already Self-Harm and the stress from school just made me auto harm without thinking. Does anyone have a good way to help stop the harm??
greenApple7038 profile picture
hi
by greenApple7038
Last post
 October 1st
...See more hi, i’m kinda new to this. i’ve been struggling alot lately, and i guess i just put myself down a lot for it because i’m literally 7 months clean of self harm. i never really feel like anyone around me understands. i talk to my boyfriend about it and my feelings all the time. but he’ll never understand. i don’t blame him for that. i guess it’s good he doesn’t understand. i don’t want anyone to experience this. but everyday i wake up feeling more and more depressed i guess you should call it. and i’m in denial about calling it that but i’m pretty sure that’s what it is. i don’t know anymore. i feel lost. i barely sleep at night. i’m kept up by wanting to harm myself again but knowing i can’t and i shouldn’t. i’m scared of letting people down. but sometimes i just, i don’t know. sometimes i miss the outlet. maybe that’s crazy to say

Hello, and welcome to the Self-Harm Recovery Subcommunity! It’s great to have you here, and we are proud of you for making the first brave step in reaching out for support. This is our supportive, safe and friendly environment, and we are glad to have you here 😃. Feel free to direct any questions to the appropriate leader of our community, which you can find at the bottom of the about section. ⭐️

🌟 Feel free to say hello and introduce yourself! Or if you want to just browse for now that is okay too! Take your time. We have several topics in our community such as the goals and success corner, recovery zone, support area and much more! Please use the relevant topic where appropriate so we can keep our community organised🌟

🌟 Please make sure to read through our community guidelines and browse our resources available 🌟

🌟 To join our community leadership team feel free to look through Here for the requirements and apply to join our team 🌟

🌟 Again, thank you for joining our community, and we look forward to seeing your progress on your journey! If you have any questions, please reach out to the relevant leader 😊

Community Guidelines

These guidelines are inspired by some communities around 7 cups! This is so we can adapt our little family to accommodate as many different life experiences and situations as possible. We recognize we cannot adapt to every circumstantial rule. However, we have outlined some of the common guidelines needed for our community. ❤️

✪ Please do not share any graphic images or descriptions of self-harm tools!

✪ Please do not mention the name of any tools used for self-harm in any area of the self-harm recovery community.

✪ Names of methods of self-harm are allowed to be shared in the group support room, but where possible please try to exchange a method name for the phrase "self-harm".

✪ When mentioning methods of self-harm or potentially triggering details of another topic in the forums, please put a trigger warning at the top of the post so people are able to click away from the post if they would like to. Additionally, please try to find an appropriate place within our forums to make your post. Certain areas are reserved for specific content, so please consider this when making your post.

✪ Pro-self-harm content will not be tolerated!

✪ Please be respectful to everyone, members and listeners alike.

✪ Remember, everyone's experiences are different. Please do not undermine or invalidate anyone's situation because it is not what most would consider "normal". We are a diverse community and have people from many backgrounds, so please always be respectful!

✪ General kindness, courtesy, and etiquette are heavily appreciated!

Read the 7 Cups Guidelines