Therapy for Self Harm

Self harm affects people of all ages and can present itself in different ways.

No matter if a person who is self-harming has been doing it for a long time or if it is a recent behaviour, talking therapy is the most beneficial way to understand your motivations and to change that narrative for yourself.

What is important from a mental health standpoint is firstly recognising, then coming to terms with your actions. While there are many people that will suffer from self-harm, it is still something that can feel intensely private. It can, therefore, help to find a therapist and environment that you are comfortable in to address it.

What is Self Harm

Self-harm is the action of inflicting damage or injury to one’s own body such as throwing yourself against a wall or cutting yourself. 

It can appear in many different types of intentional actions including:

• Cutting
• Scratching
• Burning
• Bruising.

While it is most often thought of in the form of cutting, any act of deliberately injuring yourself is considered self-harm.

It is important to also differentiate between self-harm and suicidal thoughts or idealisation.

If you believe you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts or idealisation, you can call the Samaritans 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for help and support on 116 123.

What causes Self Harm?

Some people harm themselves as a way of dealing with difficult feelings, overwhelming situations or painful memories.

For some, turning overwhelming feelings into physical pain can be an attempt to distract from any hard to deal with emotions.

For others, it can be a form of punishment for any self blame or regret from past experiences or traumas.

Self-harm can be the result of not fully addressing already existing mental issues or disorders.

These can range from:

• Anxiety then leading to depression
• Trauma
• Loneliness or an intense feeling of ‘emptiness’
• Bereavement

Also, any disorders either undiagnosed or ignored can lead to a need for control through harming yourself, including:

• BPD
• OCD
• Bipolar Disorder
• Body Dysmorphia

There may be a particular event that leads to self harm such as:

• Feeling overwhelmed with school or work
• Experiencing a traumatic event or abuse
• Losing someone close to you
• Losing a job

You may even feel like there is no specific reason and some people may not know why they self-harm. This is why counselling is the first step to getting down to the root of the issue to find out where it all began.

No matter what the reason, harming yourself only provides temporary relief without addressing the deeper, underlying issue.

How therapy can help.

Going to therapy can be a way of understanding the feelings and issues that lead to self-harm. A therapist can offer you support in a non-judgemental environment as you discover new ways to approach situations.

For many people who have experienced this, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can prove very helpful as a way to create new habits and reactions to situations that may trigger self-harming.

Other forms of therapy such as Integrative therapy, will assist you in fully understanding why you do what you do and how you create a positive future for yourself away from self-harming. It is important, whatever you choose, that you find the therapy and therapist that is right for you.

How Therapy in London can help.

No matter what feelings you are experiencing that are leading to self-harm, Therapy in London provides a safe space for you to come to terms with your fears and feelings, away from judgement.

Everything you share with us will be entirely confidential as we work towards guiding you to a place where you no longer feel the need to self-harm.