Self-harm harm reduction resources (Tumblr post version some links are broken on this version, sorry)
This blog provides information for individuals who self-harm on harm reduction, also known as harm minimisation. Self-harm can never be completely safe, but even small changes can make a big difference. My website also has information about self-harm reduction.
Harm reduction can be useful to people who cannot or do not want to quit self-harm yet as well as people working to quit self-harm.
I am not a medical or mental health professional. Non-recovery mental health/vent blogs/etc. are safe to interact with this blog.
F.A.Q. - Please read before sending an ask
[PT: F.A.Q. - Please read before sending an ask]
Q: "What kind of asks do you answer?"
A: This blog is primarily for asks about self-harm harm reduction, but other asks relating to sh are ok as well. Please check your question isn't already answered in the F.A.Q. below before sending it. If your looking for emotional support as opposed to practical advice you would probably find better support elsewhere, check out the resources linked at the top of this post.
Please do not include specifics about injures or how you've hurt yourself unless necessary for the question. If I think an ask includes too much detail that could be triggering I will answer it with certain parts removed. Do not send asks with images of SH or SH tools.
Please make it clear if you would/would not like advice! [Pt: Please make it clear if you would/would not like advice! /end PT] - you can do this by asking a specific question or saying something like "I am/am not looking for advice on this".
Q: "When will my ask be answered?"
A: its currently taking me a week or longer to get to an ask, off topic asks will take longer. Do not send me urgent asks, instead talk to a medical professional or someone else who can help you more immediately.
Q: "Do you answer asks about eating disorders/substance use/etc?"
A: I don't know as much about these things and it's not the blogs focus, but I will try to answer asks about things beside SH. Please do not include specific numbers about eating disorders. You can find info on ED harm reduction here and here.
Q: "How do I treat a cut/burn/etc?" "when do I need to go to hospital?"
A: Info on first aid for cuts, for burns, for bruising, and for bites. If you have poisoned yourself/overdosed call poison control, emergency services (112, 911, 999, 000, etc.), or go to hospital. If you think you need urgent or emergency medical attention, seek it.
Q: "is this infected? How do I treat it?"
A: Information on infections/when to seek care here
Q: "How do I avoid/quit SH?"
A: Check the tag #avoiding sh on this blog or you can find resources for avoiding sh here
Q: "What happens if you go to hospital for SH?"
A: It varies from place to place, but here's how it generally goes based of my own and others' experiences.
Q: "Does XYZ count as self-harm?"
A: If your hurting yourself then yes, even if it doesn't leave a large or visible injury.
Q: "Is it normal for shallower cuts/burns to hurt more then deeper cuts/burns"
A: Yes, closer to the surface of your skin there are more nerve endings which send signals to your brain to make you feel pain. If you cut through the nerves these signals travel along your brain won't receive the signals and won't feel as much pain. These nerves can often heal themselves but sometimes the damage can be permanent causing numbness, chronic pain, mobility issues, etc. If you suddenly stop feeling pain or touch or are unable to move any part of your body after harming yourself seek immediate emergency medical attention.
Q: "Is it safe to injure [part of body]?"
A: Self-harm is never safe (even if your injuries are minor, accidents can still happen) but some areas are safer then others due to having less risk of nerve damage, serious bleeding, scars that affect mobility, etc. Here is a diagram of safer/less safe areas, the outline on the left is a front view and the outline of the right is a back view.
Q: "How do I store/clean my sh tools?"
A: Here is info on self-harm tool safety.
Q: "How do I fade/hide and accept my scars?" "How did I prevent my scarring?" "Why are scars 'bad'?"
A: Here is info on scars.
Tags
[Pt: Tags]
#Off topic - posts/reblogs not about self-harm harm reduction
#Experiences - asks/posts of other people sharing their experiences with self-harm
#Avoiding sh - advice on how to avoid or quit self-harm, such as ideas for alternatives or distractions
#Self care - posts/reblogs about self-care while living with a psychosocial disability/Madness
#Positivity - positivity for people who self-harm or live with a psychosocial disability/Madness
#Polls - polls about how this blog and the website are run
#Maintenance - posts about the blog/website themself
#Asks
#Anon
Trigger warnings tagged as "#tw [thing]", for example "#tw spiders". Self-harm is not tagged for, but "#tw injury description" is used for more detailed description of injuries or sh that may be triggering.
Disclaimers:
This blog does not endorse self-harm, eating disorders, or other behaviours that can be harmful to someone's mental or physical health. Recovery, mental health treatment, and cessation of self-harm is also supported and advocated for (when it is right for the individual) on this blog. Harm minimisation has been recommended by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence as a technique for people who self-harm.
This blog's generalised information is a limited summary of diagnosis, treatment, and/or medication information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, treatments, medications, side effects, or risks that may apply to a specific patient. It is not intended to be medical or mental health advice or a substitute for the medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment of a health care provider. Patients must speak with a health care provider for complete information about their health, medical questions, and treatment options. This information does not endorse any treatments or medications as safe, effective, or approved for treating a specific patient.
scars are normal. scars are a physical proof of your body’s ability to heal. scars make it known that you’re alive. you’re marked by life. the raised scars, the keloids, the scars people stare at you for. they’re a visual map of your life & nothing more. scars have no morality scars don’t reflect on the morality of your existence. media loves to portray scars on monsters and villains and leave the heroes to be unmarred, but that narrative does not apply to real life. you’re a whole human being worthy of being seen, loved, respected.
My boyfriend is triggered by Christmas and Christmas music. We were in a restaurant, and Christmas music was playing, and he started panicking so he went outside for a cigarette. The manager of the restaurant overheard him saying he had to get out, and changed the music over for the rest of the time we were there. There are safe spaces in the real world. People are nicer than you think. And bullshit people who try to tell you to get over your triggers, ain’t shit.
Honestly “the world is cruel get over it” is pretty easily translated to “I’m a complete asshole who doesn’t want to be held responsible for my sh*tty behavior”
if you've lost years of your life to abuse or mental illness, please know it's not too late for you. it's never too late for you. you can do everything you dreamed of when you were a kid - there's still time. you have time to shape yourself and your life into what you want. there is no time limit on happiness.
Please, spread this for those who might need it right now
U.S. suicide hotline: call or text 988 (available 24 hours)
U.S. trans lifeline: (877) 565-8860 (when you call, you’ll speak to a trans/nonbinary peer operator. full anonymity and confidentiality)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) – provides 24/7 confidential support and referrals for individuals and families facing mental health and substance use disorders, including panic attacks and anxiety.
LGBT National Help Center: (888) 843-4564
Trevor Project: Call (866) 488-7386, text START to 678-678, or chat online.
Take care of yourself and each other. Please stay safe ♡
hey so a lot of these hotlines are more than happy to call the cops on you if they determine you're "too suicidal." the cops are known to escalate mental health crises and even kill people experiencing them. I'd recommend calling these lines (US-centric) instead:
[ID: a graph titled "Warm lines that don't call the police" it's subtitled "More resources: InclusiveTherapists.com/crisis" The lines listed are:
Call blackline: 800-604-5841 • Centers BI&POC, LGBTQ+, Black Femme Lens
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 (US), 877-330-6366 (Canada) • Run by and for trans people
Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line: 888-407-4515 • Trained peer supporters
are you sensitive to the heat? heatwave tips ahead from your resident bedbound blogger. obviously drink water and get fresh air yadda yadda we already know that. but ALSO:
wear light colours, they basically bounce light n heat away whereas dark clothes absorb heat. also wear looser clothes
apply cold packs on the back of the neck, wrists, and ur stomach which is where your biggest artery is. if you cool the blood you cool the body
try positions where each limb is in minimal contact with other limbs if that makes sense. think starfish, open palms, spacious. you want to minmise the amount of skin touching other skin. ur own body tends to warm itself up whether you want it to or not
check more frequently for pressure sores if youre a wheelchair user, couchbound, or bedbound. sweat is a risk factor for pressure injuries
eat foods with high water content
splash water on the back of the neck and wrists
if the air temperature is above 35c /95f then a fan will NOT help you. try other cooling measures
if it’s humid like if you’re in the uk like me then try a dehumidifier. the humidity is part of what makes uk heat dangerous even when the temperature isn’t that high
hi hi, i just needed to vent and maybe ask for some advice. im 23 and hadnt shed in 10+ years (i do struggle w ocd, an ed, and im audhd tho) and recently have been misusing alcohol… anyway i dont know why drunk me did it but i woke up 2 days ago w both of my arms cut up.
theyre kitten scratches, nothing deep (i think? again im “new” to this and would prefer to stay that way), but i feel HORRIBLE. i pride myself in being a positive person and this makes it very visible that im mentally ill. ive been crying all day
i mostly feel guilty towards my sibling, whos 9 years younger and has an issue of sh themself. i hope i dont trigger them ☹️ i mostly feel guilty
anyway, does anyone know how long it will take for the scratches to fade? i’ve been putting some kind of disinfectant on them, but i’m broke and don’t have money for gazes or whatever
thank you for listening and for this blog
Hi anon, hurting yourself after being self-harm free for a long time can feel really terrible, but self-harming doesn't define who you are, it is a very small part of you. You can absolutely still be a positive person even if you have hurt yourself. If you're worried about your sibling talking to them might be a good idea, I think one of the most helpful things for when someone is struggling with sh is being able to talk about self-harm. Being open about what you are doing to help yourself after you've hurt yourself (emotionally, physically, etc.) and letting them know they can talk to you about it might be helpful for them.
I hope your wounds are healed by now, but if not here is info on how to take care of cuts. You can buy cheap first-aid supplies from somewhere like dollar tree/pound land/etc. or you can use clean, non-fuzzy cloth instead to cover your cuts. If your injuries left scars, here is some info on scars that might be useful.
And your welcome, I'm sorry this took so long to get to, I hope you and your sibling are doing well.
Tumblr doesn't make it super obvious, but even though asks are currently off you can still make submissions here if you want to share something and don't want/need a response to it
is it a bad thing to cut deep ish and then hold a lighter over the cut to burn my skin.
It depends what you mean by bad anon. If you are talking about it being harmful to your body, yes. If you mean morally, no self-harm is never morally wrong.
For a wound like this I would suggest seeking medical attention if your able to or using something like Telfa dressings and petroleum jelly/Vasaline and changing that dressing daily. A hydrocolloid dressing could work well too, they are often sold as blister plasters.
i have recently discovered that my self harm urges are usually a desire to see blood. usually on myself but in general
one way ive managed to help alleviate this is w the classic drawing on myself (especially w red ink or paint) but also, ive recently learned that if i watch a slasher film it satisfies it in a way that i'm not physically hurt. if you can stomach it. even just the original scream or something like that...it rlly helps for my urges in particular
Little vent, if you don't mind.
I got sent to the ER by my partner because of my self-harm recently, and I even spent a week in a mental hospital. It was a terrible experience, and with my contamination OCD it was pretty tough for me. I don't blame my partner at all, I know they were just worried about me, but they didn't have to call 911, I was perfectly fine. All that happened at the ER is that they just monitored my vitals and shit, nothing else, because I was FINE.
I was trying really hard not to overdose on [medication] as a suicide attempt, so I took [amount], enough to ease the urge but not enough to significantly harm me. I only had mild symptoms, which I told my partner, but they still decided to call me an ambulance to be safe.
The worst part about this whole thing is now I'm flagged for suicide ideation and because I'm a minor, my parents have been supervising me and making me eat (I have an ED) and put all the medicine and sharp things and put them in a safe. I mean, sure, I plan to overdose as soon as I can and I want to cut myself, but that's my decision, not theirs!!! I know they're trying to keep me safe, but now I just harm in secret (head hitting) and I might start throwing up again if they're going to keep making me eat.
I'm just so angry I let this happen, I could've at least made an actual attempt instead of a mere [amount of medication].
Also, everyone keeps acting like that could've killed me, yeah fucking right, I wish it did. But soon, it'll all be over.
–🐦⬛🧠
(Slightly edited to remove specifics about self-harm/suicide)
Hi anon, I was in a similar situation when I was younger, having my autonomy taken away from me like that was probably the most hurtful experience in my life and I'm sorry that it's happening to you as well. I hope you are feeling better then you were when you sent this ask.
Self-harm scares people, but that doesn't mean they will never understand. Raking away your tools and medications is an attempt to help you feel better and be safe, even if it has the total opposite affect. Your family likely has good intentions, so maybe explaining that self-harm actually helps you avoid doing worse things to yourself (like attempting suicide) and that not being able to hurt yourself in your usual way or losing so much control is making you more likely to hurt yourself and making you fell more suicidal could help them understand. At some point together you could come up with a different plan to keep you safe together. Here is information on writing a safety plan that is inclusive of harm reduction. Maybe something like agreeing to let you have access to blades but not medications would on the condition that you will be more open about your self-harm, do wound care, use clean tools, and seek medical attention if you need.
Showing your parent something like Cutting the Risk might give them a better understanding of self-harm and harm reduction or this guide by Mind on how to help someone who self-harms might help them understand why taking your tools isn't helpful. I have more resources that can help with explaining harm reduction in this post.
They likely won't understand immediately, but it's worth starting the conversation.
Let's talk some more about harm reduction. I know I've mostly talked about the ways I have safely self harmed. Today, I'd like to talk about the ways that I have avoided self harming.
A lot of it does vary from person to person and situation to situation. If you feel like a burden, trying to call someone is probably going to feel like an impossible task. Trying to do a craft might be a better option in that case.
A lot of these things also work best if you are "bought in" to them. If you spend your entire 20 minute walk around the neighborhood thinking "this isn't helping, it's not going to help, I wish I was back inside, fuck this" etc, then you're not going to get nearly as much out of that walk than you would if you tried counting the number of bird chirps instead.
Urges typically only last about 30 minutes, so if you can remove yourself from the situation or distract yourself from the feeling for longer than that, it should be easier to manage.
I've always found that the key is to find something you can engage with. Watching a show or movie gets dismissed a lot as an effective engagement, especially if you're considering self harm. I agreed, for a long time. But if there's something that you enjoy, you can find a way to make it engaging and therefore a more effective and engaging activity. For instance, The Two Towers is one of my comfort movies, so I could count the number of times that the word "the" is said. I've stopped scene by scene and found the location they filmed at and learned about it before resuming the movie.
Crafts are always a good tool, for me. Keeps the hands and the brain busy, if I can bend my focus to it enough. The hardest part of using crafts to distract myself is keeping the frustration down. It's going to be harder to do than when I'm calm, and I don't want to ruin a project.
If you can contact a trusted person, I recommend it. I know it can be hard, deciding who would help and who would react. Help hotlines are a good way to get connected to professional help, but I also remember feeling like I was calling the cops on myself. From my experience (which is white and usamerican) 988 is a good resource. I'm going to make a separate post with a bunch of resources.
I personally have had mixed results with snapping rubber bands on myself, but it can be a good component of grounding. Lately, having jewelry I can fidget with has been more helpful for me.
I did have some success with drawing on myself for a little while. Just make sure you get an ink that is non-toxic and preferably designed for skin use. Makeup products are a good, if expensive, option for this.
Ice is also a good tool. A rounded edge on an ice cube can feel like it's cutting without actually breaking skin. Be mindful, ice can still cut you.
I personally never had much luck with meditation, guided or not. If it helps you, I'm glad. I don't have enough knowledge to talk about it here, but it I definitely recommend trying it if you haven't. You don't know until you know.
Physical activity can be effective too. I've gone climbing, biking, or chopped firewood to get rid of the energy. Sometimes, I'm so tired that I don't have the energy to self harm even if I wanted to after I finish my activity. But don't forget risk assessment. I wouldn't do any type of climbing that has an active death risk in that headspace. I also wouldn't lift weights without a spotter, stuff like that.
Whatever method you use, I'm glad you're still here. I hope you're safe. If you need someone to talk to, drop me a line. I've got 2 cats and a dog that I'll never post pictures of, specifically so I have them if you're having a bad day. Thank you for being here. You are not alone. You are a person worthy of love and care and medical attention. Have a beautiful day.
Be aware that with ice that you can also burn yourself with it if you aren't careful (that's why it's always recommended to wrap ice packs in a towel). You can also accidentally hurt yourself with rubber bands by bruising yourself or (a lot less common but still a risk) causing ligament damage
[PT: can't figure out asks (new to Tumblr) /End PT]
saw the request for things that have helped you so thought I could add, but can’t find where asks are -_- I suck at this website-
I think a big part of eventually mostly stopping for me (it’s been a few months by my count which feels huge) was kind of accepting that this is a thing that happens and yeah it’s probably going to be a thing that happens for the rest of my life.
it’s scary that it feels like it won’t ever go away, and initially when I first had a relapse after a good stretch clean back in August I felt really hopeless? like it would be with me forever. I would always feel like this no matter how hard I tried. like I was permanently broken or something. accepting that it’s a part of my life and trying to let go of the shame around it was a big step and it’s still something I’m working on. but it helped especially for me to be able to tell someone when I relapsed.
I actually told someone for the first time that time in august. just having someone who you can tell and don’t have to keep it hidden from is a relief. someone who won’t judge you for it or start treating you like you’re made of glass or something.
this is applicable only really if you’re concerned with hiding wounds/scars though I think.
it’s pretty obvious also but working to kind of develop more self-esteem/be less of an ass to myself, being able to realize there’s a future. But that part does come with doing better in general so not a place to start with I think. something more along the lines of saying ‘it doesn’t matter if I think I deserve nothing but hurt. I’m getting something else anyways.’ like using being an ass to yourself in a good (?) way.
I think it would have been really useful for me to have something like this when I was cutting regularly because I was in retrospect really, really unsafe about it. I would use unsanitary tools, didn’t take care of the wounds, and multiple times sh’d in public bathrooms. I don’t think I ever got a serious infection somehow, despite depth. if I’d had tools to make those things less bad, or a way to structure working myself off of it, there might have been less hard of a fight. so thank you for running this.
I found an extremely dope disability survival guide for those who are homebound, bedbound, in need of disability accommodations, or would otherwise like resources for how to manage your life as a disabled person. (Link is safe)
How to have a great, disabled life.
It has some great articles and resources and while written by people with ME/CFS, it keeps all disabilities in mind. A lot of it is specific to the USA but even if you're from somewhere else, there are many guides that can still help you. Some really good ones are:
How to live a great disabled life- A guide full of resources to make your life easier and probably the best place to start (including links to some of the below resources). Everything from applying for good quality affordable housing to getting free transportation, affordable medication, how to get enough food stamps, how to get a free phone that doesn't suck, how to find housemates and caregivers, how to be homebound, support groups and Facebook pages (including for specific illnesses), how to help with social change from home, and so many more.
Turning a "no" into a "yes"- A guide on what to say when denied for disability aid/accommodations of many types, particularly over the phone. "Never take no for an answer over the phone. If you have not been turned down in writing, you have not been turned down. Period."
How to be poor in America- A very expansive and helpful guide including things from a directory to find your nearest food bank to resources for getting free home modifications, how to get cheap or free eye and dental care, extremely cheap internet, and financial assistance with vet bills
How to be homebound- This is pretty helpful even if you're not homebound. It includes guides on how to save spoons, getting free and low cost transportation, disability resources in your area, home meals, how to have fun/keep busy while in bed, and a severe bedbound activity master list which includes a link to an audio version of the list on Soundcloud
Master List of Disability Accommodation Letters For Housing- Guides on how to request accommodations and housing as well as your rights, laws, and prewritten sample letters to help you get whatever you need. Includes information on how to request additional bedrooms, stop evictions, request meetings via phone, mail, and email if you can't in person, what you can do if a request is denied, and many other helpful guides
Special Laws to Help Domestic Violence Survivors (Vouchers & Low Income Housing)- Protections, laws, and housing rights for survivors of DV (any gender), and how to get support and protection under the VAWA laws to help you and/or loved ones receive housing and assistance
Dealing With Debt & Disability- Information to assist with debt including student loans, medical debt, how to deal with debt collectors as well as an article with a step by step guide that helped the author cut her overwhelming medical bills by 80%!
There are so many more articles, guides, and tools here that have helped a lot of people. And there are a lot of rights, resources, and protections that people don't know they have and guides that can help you manage your life as a disabled person regardless of income, energy levels, and other factors.
Deaf people have double the suicide rate that hearing people do. If you're hearing, put that number in your head, really think about how high that is. This is especially true if you're queer and/or surrounded by people who have experienced suicidal ideation. Think about just how appalling that number is. Think about what double that number would be like in your community.
