Self harm

People who hurt themselves do it because they need to deal with difficult feelings that have built up inside them.

People may hurt themselves because:

• they are being bullied.

• they have lost someone very close to them.

•  they are stressed about exams.

• they feel unloved.

• they are being abused.

People use different ways to harm themselves.

They might:

• cut or burn themselves

• pull their hair

•  scratch or pick their skin

•  take an overdose of tablets

Getting help

Telling somebody you trust is a good starting point. You could talk to:

• a friend

• a family member

• a friend’s parent

• your Personal Adviser

• school nurse

• doctor

If you would rather talk to someone you don’t know, you can phone, text, email or chat online to an adviser at Connexions Direct.

You can read about other people's experiences and get more information and advice by looking at some of the websites listed below.

Useful links:

Young People and Self Harm

Help, advice and support for young people who self-harm, their family and friends.

Young Minds

Fetch!

More links to useful websites.