Understanding why you do it

Stopping is easier if you can find other ways of
expressing or coping with your feelings. Lots of
people do not know why they hurt themselves so it may
be useful to think about:

• What was going on in your life when you first began to harm yourself?
• How do you feel just before you want to hurt yourself?
• Are you always in the same place or with a particular person?
• Do you have any bad memories or thoughts that you can’t tell to anyone?

Thinking about other things

When you feel anxious or upset, doing something you enjoy or trying to think about other things can be a way to help you stop hurting yourself. You could try:

• Phoning a friend.
• Writing down your feelings.
• Listening to a favourite song and singing at the top of your voice.
• Going for a walk, running, dancing or playing a sport.
• Breathing slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth.

If you still want to hurt yourself:

• Find a safe punching bag like some pillows and thump them until you feel better.
• Use a red felt tip marker and draw on your body rather than cutting.
• Put your hands into a bowl of ice cubes for a short time or rub ice on the part of your body you feel like injuring.
• Put a thick rubber band around your wrist and flick it when you feel like hurting yourself.