Introduction

This section provides background information on self-harm among young people. It looks at types of self-harm, how common they are, the reasons young people harm themselves, and why asking for help can be difficult.

> What is self-harm?
Self-harm is when someone deliberately hurts or injures him or herself. This can take a number of forms

> Why do young people harm themselves?
This section looks at some of the reasons why young people self-harm and at self-harm as a way of coping.

> How common is self-harm?
How widepsread is self-harm and why is it so difficult to measure?

> Why asking for help can be difficult
There are many reasons why young people find it difficult to ask for help if they are self-harming.

> Understanding people who self-harm
It may be difficult to understand why someone would deliberately hurt oneself, but many people do things that are harmful as a way of coping with stress.

My story

"Ok, so my story is pretty simple, I'm an ordinary girl, with an ordinary life. I suppose I had never particularly liked myself, but that wasn't so much of an issue. When I was about twelve everything in my life started to fall apart, I found out that I had a condition called alopecia which meant that my hair fell out. Well some of it. I was desperate for no one to find out, because we had a uniform at school, I couldnt wear a hat, so I started to get bullied. Nothing awful, but it was the times that I wasn't bullied that were the worst, because I was always waiting.

I shut myself off from the world, I didnt want to feel the pain that they were trying to inflict on me. I knew that I was always a strong one, I couldn't cry, I couldn't get angry, people had to rely on me. So I started to self harm.

The cycle of self harm carried on, I didnt want anyone to know, I suppose that I had been an intermittent self harmer for about 3 to 4 years, when my friend found out. We decided together that I needed to tell someone; so I did. I told my teacher. Though I sometimes wish I hadn't, I know if I hadn't got it out in the open I never would have stopped.

Things got worse for a while after I told someone, because I couldn't bear people knowing. But it did get better. I decided that I was worth more that self harming, that the thing that I was trying to kill inside me wouldn't go away by hurting the outside. I had to tackle that monster in a new way because the old way only hurt him for a second, and each time I hurt he grew stronger. 

I had to talk. I know that I will always be self harmer, but that doesn't mean I have to hurt myself. I have power within myself to stop, and when I feel like I'm going to break, I ring someone, or I listen to music.

Finally I have found control, not in hurting myself, but in stopping. In finally saying no. Anyone can do it, but if you can't then you are NOT a failure. Just trust and know, that you will one day find that you are too special to hurt yourself, and most importantly there is a way out. Never accept the lie that self harm is the only way."