Non-Suicidal Self Injury & Coping Skills
- Due No Due Date
- Points None
For some people, when depression and anxiety lead to a tornado of emotions, they turn to self-harm looking for a release. Self-harm and self-injury are any forms of hurting oneself on purpose. Usually, when people self-harm, they do not do so as a suicide attempt. Rather, they self-harm as a way to release painful emotions.
Functions of Non-suicidal Self Injury
AFFECT REGULATION
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CHANGE COGNITIONS
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SELF PUNISHMENT |
STOP DISSOCIATION |
INTERPERSONAL
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How to Deal With Self-Harm
Emotions can be really painful sometimes. It’s totally normal to need ways to cope with and process the hard things in your life. If you are using self-harm to manage your emotions, we’re here for you. And, we want to help keep you safe.
Here are some ways to push through, process, and cope with your emotions.
- Text to cool down: If you’re dealing with painful emotions, we’re here to help.
- Self- Inury Crisis Line: You can also send a text to connect with a real human and strategize healthy coping mechanisms to manage your emotions. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a real human.
- Get creative: Studies show that diving into making art can help people process emotions. So, next time you’re feeling like self-harming, grab your sharpie and doodle your worries away. A bonus: you can totally stink at it and still reap the same rewards.
- Find your zen: Keeping yourself safe from self-harming is all about finding healthy alternatives to work through the hard stuff. Researchers found taking time to re-center through meditation to be a powerful way to find your cool and calm. Try using an app like Headspace or Calm to get on the meditation bandwagon.
- Talk to a pro: Self-harm is serious. And, while the intention behind self-harm usually is not death, it can still be dangerous—both physically and emotionally. Talking to someone who can help you find alternatives is incredibly important. Of course, you can start by contacting your school counselors. Also, consider telling someone you know who can help you connect with a professional.