March 1st is considered to be National Self-Harm Awareness Day, but it is important that everyone be aware of this issue every single day. This not only could affect you, but it affects your friends, your family, and anyone else who could be going through this. What's so bad is that other people looking in from the outside see this person doing it for attention and they don't understand this is how some people reach out for help. It isn't good and it isn't right, but that is sometimes the case. This is not a pretty topic and I'm not talking about rainbows or unicorns. This is something that is serious and can have devastating consequences.
That picture is a representation of how a person who self-harms feels. It is easier to hide the scars and the pain than deal with it because letting out the pain is all someone is looking for. Just like smoking or, on the good side, writing are both outlets - self-harm is. The sad part is that if someone doesn't get the help that they need then it can lead to those consequences such as committing suicide. It could've been an accident or it could've been on purpose but it does happen.
There are certain warning signs that can help you keep informed about possible situations that can occur throughout your life. The worst thing you can probably do to a person experiencing any of this would be to yell or tell them that they are stupid. They know that already. They do not need someone else pointing out that they are mutilating their body in a way that can't be undone. Yes, the physical scars may heal but every time they look at their body they know.
Self-harm is an illness.
When someone sees scars on another person they assume, "they're just trying to get attention," but what people don't see is that that person is actually screaming on the inside but can't say it on the outside. If they share this with anyone, it will hurt more people. It will tear others apart. To them, there is no point putting anyone through the pain of this if they can just stuff it all on the inside where they feel it's safe.
Think about what you say to people who may hurt themselves, who even have the slightest chance of turning that mental pain into physical pain. No one intends to, no one thinks they will continue to do it but they always do. You don't even realize that you were addicted until you tried to stop. It seemed so normal because it "helped" and it made you "feel better."
If something that can potentially kill you makes you feel better then there is something wrong. So to all those people who think people self-harm for attention, think again.
Blaming the victim isn't going to solve anything, it will make the situation escalate and become even worse than imagined. So just STOP and think. Become aware because this is becoming more real and scary. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among college students.
Open your eyes people. Open your hearts. That is the only way to change this.
