Self-Harm

Self-harm has become a rampant epidemic that is affecting many people today – including our youth. The act of self-harm, sometimes referred to as self-injuring or cutting, is a deliberate, repetitive, impulsive harming of the body – mainly done in secret and can sometimes be hard to detect.

You may know someone that is engaging in these behaviors or perhaps you are inflicting physical harm on yourself. Although you may think it is not that big of a deal, the reality is inflicting any harm on yourself is a huge deal.

SELF-HARM – SELF-INJURING – CUTTING:

An outward expression of pain and hurt deep within. Some of the signs and symptoms of self-harming behaviors look like this:

• Inflicting cuts with any type of sharp object, usually on an area of the body not normally exposed
• Constant scratching as a response to pressure or unexpected circumstances
• Picking at scabs and preventing the healing process from taking place
• Burning the skin on a regular basis with erasers, fire, or small heat-conducting appliances or metals
• Punching the body – including beating the head against walls or other inanimate objects
• Biting the inside of the mouth or skin of the arms, hands, or legs
• Pulling out hair – including eyelashes and eyebrows
• Breaking bones or severely bruising the body