Self-harm is an unhealthy coping skill that people use when experiencing emotional pain. Acknowledging and processing underlying emotions, as well as learning to utilize healthy coping strategies, is important in healing.
Coping with life stressors that impact mental health is not always easy. As humans, we naturally want to relieve any pain that impacts our daily lives. Whether we feel hurt physically or emotionally, it is normal to search for ways to alleviate the pain. People utilize coping strategies, ones that are healthy and others that may be unhealthy, to manage the stress going on in life.
Humans tend to naturally seek an immediate or instant resolution when it comes to problem-solving. To do this, people may utilize healthy coping skills such as mindfulness, breathing techniques, exercise, and journaling. Sometimes, people tend to cope in ways that are unhealthy and maladaptive. Self-injury is a method that some people use to cope with pain and emotional distress.
Self-harm is a behavior that some people use as a way to have a sense of control in their lives while temporarily coping with emotional pain. Teenagers and young adults tend to self-injure more often than those outside of these age ranges. However, it can also affect people later in life as well.
People who have experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect are most at risk of using self-harm as a coping mechanism. Self-injury may seem like a helpful strategy as it may feel like a release for people who are experiencing many emotions such as frustration, stress, fear, or sadness. Other times, people may turn to harming themselves to relieve emotional numbness in order to feel something. Because self-injury provides temporary relief from emotional pain or numbness, this behaviour can become a dangerous cycle and habit that may impact someone long-term. Although self-injury is different from attempting suicide, those who hurt themselves may experience suicidal thoughts and feelings. Thus, it is important for individuals who self-harm to find support and treatment to address thoughts and feelings that underlie this behavior.
“Self-harm, can thus become a dangerous cycle and a long-time habit. Self-harm isn’t the same as attempting suicide. However, it is a symptom of emotional pain that should be taken seriously. If someone is hurting themself, they may be at an increased risk of feeling suicidal. It’s important to find treatment for the underlying emotions.”
– NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness)
In working with individuals who engage in self-injurious behaviors, Cherry Hill Counseling practices from a person-centered, non-judgmental, and trauma-informed framework. When a person hurts themselves, feelings of shame and guilt may surface and this leads to negative feelings that cause people to harm themselves again. As clinicians, we understand that mental health may be impacted by several life stressors such as experiencing trauma and losing a loved one that may surface feelings such anxiety, hopelessness, and depression.
From our experience as mental health professionals, we know that people may cope in ways that are healthy and unhealthy. As therapists, our clients’ health and safety is a priority. Since self-injury can become a dangerous cycle, we want to emphasize and acknowledge the importance of learning healthy coping techniques to replace self-harming behaviors while also providing a safe, non-judgmental space for people to process.
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The following therapists specialize in Self-injury