by Veronica Kesterton

Created on: May 23, 2009

Self Harm what is is it? Why do people do it? What causes it? Are they trying to kill themselves? "They're just seeking attention!"

First and foremost Self Harm is NOT attention seeking or at least it never used to be, although nowadays it's become for some people a bit of a fashion craze. Someone truelly suffering from emotions that drive them to hurt themselves would hide the scars they have, why? because they do not want others knowing that they do this to themselves, unfortunately society has and always will be too judgemental.

These are the common questions or opinions of many when it comes to this taboo subject. Many people today have heard of Self Harm and even know of someone who suffers from Self Harm, but who really understands why people could hurt themselves or scar their own body. Only a Self Harmer can answer these questions & give an honest answer.

Self Harm is when a person deliberately harms themselves, which can be cutting, burning, biting & hitting themselves, generally leaving scars which can be difficult to explain to others. It's not something which Self Harmers wake up and think I'm going to hurt myself today.

Their are many different reasons for why people self harm, usually emotions to difficult to deal with lead a person to self harm or perhaps too many emotions at once can lead to this, believe you me self harmers do not wake up one day and decide they are going to become self harmers, almost all self harmers feel regret and guilt after self harming it's a bit of a viscious circle, emotions become to difficult to deal with, due to the only way the self harmer knows how to deal with releasing these emotions to feel better or perhaps just to feel or even to punish themselves, this results in them injuring themselves, then soon after for many, regret and guilt set in because of what they have done which certainly doesnt exactly help them feel any better. Unfortunately self harming is similar to anorexia or bulimia in they way that when a person adopts this method of dealing with their problems it becomes difficult to stop, however with determination and the right support from friends and family this can be overcome.

There are a number of causes for self harm, bullying, loss, traumatising experiences and emotional numbness are the most common reasons a person turns to self harm.

Usually people turn to self harm because they have been unable to deal with problems in an "acceptable" way in the same way others do, it usually

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