• Types of self-harm.

Socially acceptable forms of self-harm include tattoos and piercings. There is an entire community that enjoys hanging from hooks and testing their body’s pain tolerance. What typically comes to mind when one hears self-harm nowadays is cutting. There are more ways to hurt yourself than cutting. Other types of self-harm include punching yourself, punching walls, bruising with objects, pricking with sharp objects, starving, binging, and substance abuse.

• Reasons people self-harm.

I am a firm believer that our mental state is a development of the combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. There are too many reasons to list all the reasons people self-harm. Common reasons include wanting to escape emotional pain, wanting to control something in a world where all seems chaotic, and overwhelming feelings of sadness or suicide.

• Good things people get from hurting themselves.

No one ever does something without getting some benefit from their actions. Self-harming is no exception, there are good things that come from hurting oneself that many people do not understand. It is an unhealthy coping skill that can lead to feelings of being content, relieved, in control, distracted, or other pleasant feelings. People who self-harm do not have the healthy coping skills to adequately meet the needs of their circumstances.

• Consequences of self-harm and self-destruction.

When the act is complete, the physical or emotional scars will remain. Cutting can lead to permanent scarring, which can be a reminder of tough times. Feelings can ultimately be worsened from the guilt of hurting yourself, shame of hurting yourself, and feelings of lower self-esteem. Take substance abuse for example, this can be a short or long term self-destructive behavior. A person may use cocaine once and feel the negative consequences of coming down from that high. Conversely, someone may become addicted and suffer the consequences of destruction of family, social, and economic status. It may seem odd to categorize drugs as a form of self-harming, but regardless of whether you cut your arms or shoot up, it is destroying your well being.