March is Self-Harm Awareness Month. Christy Beck from Beck Psychotherapy in State College discusess what self-harm is, some examples, and how you can help someone who self-harms.
Definition of Self-Harm
- Any deliberate, non-suicidal behavior that inflicts harm on your body and is aimed at relieving emotional distress.
Examples of Self-Harm
- Cutting
- Scratching
- Burning
- Punching self
- Punching walls
- Hair-pulling
- Eyelash pulling
Who Self-Harms
- Girls
- Boys
- Women
- Men
- Across all ages and cultures
Why people Self-Harm
- A coping skill to relieve emotional distress
- Feeling physical pain is more bearable for them then emotional pain
- Can bring one out of a dissociative state
- Often brings relief, but this is temporary – the underlying issues remain
Signs of Self-Harm
- Cuts, scratches, burns on arms, legs and/or stomach
- Wearing long-sleeves or pants in the summer
- Withdrawn behavior
- Unexplained and/or frequent injuries
- People who self-harm often go to great lengths to hide their injuries
Myths about Self-Harm
- Only teenage girls self-injure
- Self-harm is attention seeking
- Self-harm is a suicide attempt
- Self-injury is something people outgrow
How to help someone who Self-Harms
- Remain calm and nonjudgmental
- Validate their feelings (don’t dismiss them as being attention-seeking)
- Help them find the help they need:
- Psychotherapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) – teaches emotional regulation
- Alternative coping skills
Some information taken from LifeSIGNS.
Beck Psychotherapy is located at 103 East Beaver Ave. Suite #2 in State College, and you can call them at (814) 409-7744. Calls are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
