Smashing stigma, dispelling myths
LifeSIGNS works to raise awareness, create understanding, and reduce the stigma around self-injury and emotional distress. We wish people would drop the assumption that hurting yourself is something that teenage girls do for attention. We want people to know that self-injury is a coping mechanism - something that people of all ages and genders can come to rely on during times of stress and distress.
Those who rely on, or occasionally turn to, self-injury need time and support to learn new ways of coping. Behind the self-injury could be an intolerable long-term situation, an acutely stressful happening, or some level of mental illness. People should understand there’s no one reason why someone might turn to self-injury - everyone has their own reasons and their own ways of hurting.
I wish people understood that self-injury, in the majority of cases, is about trying to cope - it’s not an attempt to kill oneself, it’s about getting on with the day.
These are the myths we need to dispel.
“I believe it is important for people who self-injure to understand that they are not alone. After suffering with self-injury for over six years I am finally realising the amount of support that is available.” ~ Rosie.
"Destructive thoughts and impulses do not discriminate by gender and I wish I’d realised that 15 years ago.” - Brendan
"Self-harm was a secretive part of my life. Promoting awareness removes the secrecy and provides help for those fearing they are alone.” - Becky
“Self-injury is not an attention-seeking strategy and people who have never experienced it should understand that sometimes self-injury is a last resort as a coping mechanism.” ~ Rosie
“I wish people knew that it isn’t about suicide. It’s about creating an external pain as a brief respite from chronic mental pain. - Matt
“Self-injury not something to be scared of - talking about it won’t make someone do it. Self-harm is secretive bit it’s only by talking about it that we can make it less taboo and remove the stigma.” - Sonia
“I want people to understand that bullying can trigger self-injury.” - Theresa
“The use of artwork and being creative encouraged me to recover.” - Katherine
"It’s not as ‘out there’ or shocking as you might first think. It’s unhealthy and it provokes a knee jerk response, but it’s more analogous to smoking than suicide.” - Jasmine
“People seem to think that we do it for attention but we don’t, we keep things to ourselves.” - Christine
“We do it to survive, not die!” Angela
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