SIAD - 1st March 2013

SIAD - Self Injury Awareness Day -1st March 

Hi everyone , 

As you are aware 1st March 2013 is very close as it is nearly the end of February. Every year on 1st March it is SIAD. On this day and the days leading up to it some self hammers might choose to be more open about their self harm. Awareness organizations make special effort to raise awareness about self harm/self injury. 

What is self injury?

 Self injury means that you harm your own self. Some people who self harm may:

• Take too many tablets (an overdose)
• Cutting yourself
• Burning yourself
• Punching yourself
• Bang your head against something hard

Why do some people self injure?

Well many people keep asking me this question "why do you self injure?" A person normally struggles with difficulties for some times before they self harm.  These are the reasons why people might self injure:

• Feeling depressed
• Physical or sexual abuse
• Feeling hopeless
• Feeling isolated and alone
• Feeling powerless - feels as though there is nothing you can do to change anything
• To express their distress feelings
• To relive tension 

Who self harms?

Few of my friends think I self harm for attention seeking but I do not self harm for attention seeking. PEOPLE WHO SELF HARM ARE NOT ATTENTION SEEKERS! Self harm happens more in:

• Young women
• Prisoners
• Gay, lesbian and bisexual people - this seems , at least a part, due to the stress of discrimination  and prejudice
• Having a friend who self harms may increase the chance of self harming as a self harder might be influenced by their friend
• People who have been bullied 
• People who have been physically, emotionally or sexually abused in the past during their childhood 

Common signs of self harm -

People who self injure tend to normally hide their self harm scars. They also tend to injure themselves in places that can be easily hidden by clothes. If you suspect a friend or a relative self injures then look out for the following signs of self harm.These are the common signs of self harm: 

• Unexplained bruises , cuts or cigarette burns - usually on their wrists , arms, thighs and chest
• Keeping themselves fully covered at all times even during hot weather
• Sign of depression - low moods, tearfulness, lack of motivation and lack of interest in anything
• Sign of low self -esteem - blaming themselves for any problems or thinking they are not good enough
• Changes in eating habits 

Getting help -

If you self injure or know someone who does,then please reach out for help. Most people who self harm don't ask for help. Why not? You might be aware that you have some serious problems , but don't feel you can talk to anyone- so you don't talk about it. People will not judge you differently if you tell them that you self harm. Tell someone close to you it could be your parents, sibling or even a best friend - you will only get help if you tell someone close that you self harm. If you find it hard to speak to someone that you self harm then maybe write it down on a piece of paper and give it to the person who you want to tell.

Some useful websites and phone numbers for self help -

• Childline - Free national helpline for young people, free confidential advice on all sorts of problems: 0800 1111
• Samaritans - Telephone and email support for anyone who is worried, upset or suicidal: 08457 90  90 90; ROI 1850  60 90 90. Email: jo@samaritans.org
• The Silent Cry - A charity to help people to deal with self harm whether a sufferer, relative or partner.

Self harm is not an attempt of suicide but if you do self harm, you are at a greater risk of killing yourself than people who don't self harm.

Ways to reduce the urge to self harm -

These are some of the following ways which can reduce the temptation to self harm. If you feel like self harming then try reducing the urges by:

• Squeezing a stress ball in your hand
• Screaming really loud
• Sleeping 
• Listening to music
• Talking to someone
• Having a cold shower
• Scribbling on a piece of paper
• Drawing a butterfly where you want to self harm - The Butterfly Project
• Throwing ice

Please if you self harm , tell yourself you are worth more than the self harm.

Thank you for reading this post and I wish you a brilliant day wherever you are 

xx

HAVE FAITH, BE BRAVE, BE HAPPY ! XX