Please e-mail us to have "the basics of self-injury" brochure mailed to you.

If you are a parent, husband, wife, or friend of a person who is harming his/her body and are asking yourself the following questions, then this section is for you!  You might even find yourself asking the following questions:

• What is Self-Injury?     
• Why does a person do this?
• How can I help?
• How do I cope?

A person who causes self-inflicted pain and/or injuries can be male, female, young, old, married, single, or even a mother or a father. This affects people of all ages, races and backgrounds and is not a only a "teen issue" or a "woman's issue".

The reasons vary from  person to person as to why they would cause self-inflicted pain and/or injuries on their own body. A person who  self-injures may be described as: 

• A person who deliberately causes physical pain, harm, and/or injury to their body; even to the extent of causing tissue damage (break in skin, bruises, and/or  marks that last for more than a few  hours).
• A person who causes any type of harm or pain to themselves as a way of coping with issues (past or present), overwhelming emotions, past situations and/or dissociation.
• A person may or may not self-injure compulsively, however, the individual often finds themselves thinking about harming their body even when things appear to be going well.

Most people that harm their own bodies do it as a way of coping. (whether they realize that is why they are doing it or not)  

Self-Injury is a coping mechanism, not a healthy one, but nonetheless it is a way for the person to express their emotions (fear, anger, rage, sadness) and get through the moment.  
HAVE YOU FOUND OUT THAT SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT HARMS THEIR BODY?
Here are some tips and things TO SAY and NOT TO SAY to help the one you care about!

WHAT NOT TO SAY to someone who has recently told you that they injure themselves:

Just stop doing it!
Do you do that for attention?
We know you're in pain, you don't have to prove it to anyone.
I can't believe you are doing this to me!
You're life wasn't that bad.
If you continue to do that, then you better get out of here!
I can't believe you do that to yourself, there are people in other countries that....

Although you may be experiencing feelings of hurt, disbelief and you may even be baffled by this, in most cases this is not a personal attack against you.

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Please e-mail us to receive "the basics of self-injury" brochure. Be sure to include mailing address. Thank you!