An expression used to describe the act of hurting oneself, most of the time by cutting but also burning, breaking bones, hitting yourself etc.
It is a general view that people self harm for attention which is normally not the case. People who self harm are generally depressed and has a hard time dealing with life. Self harm also mustn't be mixed up with suicide, as it's not done for dying, but for coping with life.
Most people who self harm are ashamed and hide it, but there are those who aren't afraid to go in long sleeves (if they cut their arms) This is most of the time NOT because they want everyone to feel sorry for them.
Also smoking can technically be counted as self harm, as it's a way of hurting oneself, although not as direct as other ways.
It is a general view that people self harm for attention which is normally not the case. People who self harm are generally depressed and has a hard time dealing with life. Self harm also mustn't be mixed up with suicide, as it's not done for dying, but for coping with life.
Most people who self harm are ashamed and hide it, but there are those who aren't afraid to go in long sleeves (if they cut their arms) This is most of the time NOT because they want everyone to feel sorry for them.
Also smoking can technically be counted as self harm, as it's a way of hurting oneself, although not as direct as other ways.
"I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel, I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real. The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting, tried to kill it all away but I remember everything." - Hurt, Nine Inch Nails
by Natta July 11, 2005
Self harm is self explanatory. It is inflicting physical pain on your body through cutting, burning, hitting, and many other things. Self harm can also be considered abusing drugs harmful to your body. Usually it takes alot of mental and emotional pain. As a victim of self harm i had cut and burned. If you have ever cut or self harmed then you know what this is and why you did it. It offers you a release to your mental and emotional pain by distracting it with physical pain. It becomes an addiction and its hard to stop. At first it hurts. But then the more you do it, it becomes numb. It will only get worse and worse. If you are self harming, thinking of self harming, or used to self harm, know this, you are not helping yourself. Your hurting yourself even worse. I have scars on my arms that will not fade away. I was addicted and couldnt stop. You will regret it. You will be insecure about it. You are beautiful. Whether you are a male or female you are beautiful. You dont need to do this to yourself. Because it feels good at the moment, but crushes you at the next. Stay strong. Dont hurt yourself please
by musicbaby July 03, 2014
usually in the aftermath of some trauma which may have occured during ones formative years. A violation and ungodly act of hurt caused by the callous insensitivity of those who should know not to pick on those who are way too vulnerable, and simply can't take it. Revulsion and anger towards the physical self perhaps because of some deep hurt, i.e, abuse, bullying, sexual aggression, etc cetera.
Self harm as an act can encompass a variety of destructive behaviours, from cutting, burning, to shaving ones hair. I slashed my arms to ribbons due to a fragile mental state, 'cause i felt violent towards "them", for crossing a boundary with me, they thought i was "weird" and relentlessly mocked and degraded me, got used as a sexual punching bag when much younger. Has a devastating impact on sufferer, loss of sound mind, proper emotional development, limited life opportunities, inability to have healthy human relationships, don't trust others that they won't end up hurting me, just like all the rest. Hopelessness and apathy about mankind. A throbbing heart.....I could write a novella about it!
by anonymous for obvious reasons May 29, 2008
self harm is different for a lot of people, its the act of intentionally harming yourself . Cutting, picking, poking, burning , hitting , literally anything that causes you physical harm . People self harm for so many reasons, for some it may be to calm down what goes on in their head, for others it may be that theyre so numb they just want to feel something . For others they might want to die and this is just the alternative. There are honestly so many reasons, how I like to put it is the hurt on the outside calms the hurt on the inside. I dont know many cutters other than myself, the few i do know all say around the same thing. It helps calm them down and helps them feel something . But afterwards they feel ashamed, they can sit and cry and start to hate their body. Its like drugs or alcohol once you start you cant stop. Self harm is addictive and its not something that you do once and never do it again, you do it once and youre like “i wont do it anymore” then its everytime you get upset and then it just becomes a habit. Thats the hardest stage of it to stop, sometimes it goes to far. Girl in Pieces is a really good book that sort of demonstrates it and explains it really well. If you are struggling with self harm please don’t hesitate to reach out<3
by fuckedupgirl May 22, 2023
self harm is used by people to cope with emotional pain or stress or other things. it can turn into something obsessive or into an addiction. most people do not self harm for attention, but if they do please reach out to them too. harming yourself for attention isn’t a healthy or mentally well thing to do. also note that self harm isn’t only cutting oneself; it’s intentionally harming yourself in any way. from cutting to pulling out hair. if you’re concerned about someone bring it up, but in a cool/soft way.
self harm is an unhealthy coping mechanism
‘i used to harm myself, but i went to therapy and found some healthy ways to cope’
‘im concerned about … i think they may be harming themself’
‘i used to harm myself, but i went to therapy and found some healthy ways to cope’
‘im concerned about … i think they may be harming themself’
by 20607 December 15, 2021
To harm yourself when depressed or emo generaly across or up the arm/wrist but sometimes hearts n stars are cut into ones arm as a sign of love for their other half
emo mike:i love you so much i cut a neurotic star in my arm.
emo deb: omfg, its true love
chav:self harm, must be emo
emo deb: omfg, its true love
chav:self harm, must be emo
by stephanie joanne September 30, 2006
One of the biggest mistakes people assume with self harm is that it’s just for attention. Self harm is more of a way of punishing themselves or thinking they deserve to be in that kind of pain. I remember having a conversation with someone who thought of self-harm as an attention thing, but he didn’t know that I was self harming at the time. He would talk about how, it was annoying when girls would talk about it, and “it’s an attention thing girls do”. And that literally broke me. I thought that opening up to people about it would help me, but before I could try, the walls came up again. Self-Harm is not smth used for attention. Those who self-harm, hide the scars so no one can see, and they would not be slicing their bodies and creating scars for attention. It hurts. If you want attention, you won’t do smth that hurts. Anyways just wanted to clear that up and know that if you don’t fully understand it, you are not allowed to have an opinion on it. Self-harm has triggers, the thoughts in your head die down for a couple hours, but one word or one bad thing can trigger the urge to self-harm. It is an addiction. Once you start, you can’t stop, it just gets worse and worse until you cant take it anymore and you do smth you may or may not live to regret. For those who are thinking of self-Harm, please don’t start. It’s an addiction. Just please find the strength to stop yourself<3 I love you and I’m proud of you. You didn’t come this far to ONLY come this far.
by I’m proud of you December 21, 2019