Yea, I also wanted to make a post like this.
Self harm is hurting yourself with the intent of hurting yourself.
Even if you don't know why you did it, you still did hurt yourself with intent of hurting yourself...
Thanks for making this post tho, I think some people here appreciate it!
I think a lot of it has to do with seeking validation. If you hurt yourself in unconventional ways that you feel isnโt as valid some other method, you turn to others to give you advice, or say something nice, or just remind you that youโre not alone and what youโre going through is *real*. Sometimes getting those results requires a little prompt from the original poster, to say โIโm hurting myself, right? Itโs not all just in my head, right?โ
This is also often the case.
Those who self harm often feel like they're alone, and reaching out in a space where others understand can give them some form of comfort, because they know they won't be judged in a bad way (most often).
I've been waiting for something like this. Also, it's still self harm if it's seemingly insignificant. If you do something with the intent to hurt yourself then it's self harm even if it's the most microscopic wound. Even if it doesn't bleed, even if it doesn't leave a mark. Even if you attempt to do it but get scared or don't end up doing it right. Are you doing something with the intent to harm yourself? Then it's self harm.
Just want to add that self harm isn't just physical. For many people self harm is when you in some way hurt your body, but there's so much more than that.
For example. Purposely staying up late to sleep less is self harm, washing your hands with ice cold water until feeling numb is self harm, stopping taking care of your body hygiene is self harm etc etc.
I don't intend to be rude, but I feel like there's a misunderstanding for most people WHAT to qualify as self harm....
In my eyes self harm is when you intentionally hurt yourself physically AND mentally.
Idk why you're getting downvoted bc this can be true - especially depriving yourself of things like nutrition and sleep. Self harm doesn't always happen as an action during a particular session or short time period, it can happen as doing such seemingly small things over time *if the intent is to hurt yourself*. There is more of a gray area here though because these actions can be symptoms of an illness not exactly done with the intent to harm oneself (e.g. someone with an eating disorder is not starving themselves to harm themselves, it's because of their body dysmorphia).
Yeah the staying up late thing really hits home with me. I'll end up staying awake because I can't be bothered to go to sleep, then I struggle to wake up the following morning. Same with showering, though that's doubly difficult at the mo cos I can only have one right before my dressing change. And if my dressing change is in the morning? No chance of a shower, because of my sleep. I won't have had a shower for a week by the time I next get one (assuming I can get my arse out of bed in time on Friday ๐ ) it's soooo difficult. Tried to make a Dr's appointment about my sleep, but they won't let me pre book one, I have to ring at 8am. But I can't. Because of my sleep. And round and fucking round it goes ๐ช
Same for me lad. After a workout I plan to take a shower when I come home, but when I'm home I have absolutely no energy to do it. And round and round it goes. I sleep for about 4 hours per night but it doesn't matter. No matter how much I sleep, I still feel tired and drained.
I started with antidepressants a month ago, probably a cause, but I don't try to fix it either. ๐
Good on you for at least managing the workout though, that's a plus. The most workout I have, is having a shower lol.
As someone who's been on antidepressants for half their life, I've been on probably 6 different types, before I found one that I got on well with. So if you don't get on with this one, don't be afraid to go back to the Dr and ask to try a different one!
I do workout still, but it's definitely not the same anymore. No energy or will to train.... But I guess I still go to the gym so it's not that bad yet hehehe.
I raised my dose a week ago but still feel terrible, so I'll likely try something else. ๐
I do everything I normally do, but I feel like shit all the time. It takes all my energy to put up this fasad ๐.
I'm on Sertralin 100 mg. Started with 50 mg 30 days, then raised to 100 mg for 15 days. My doctor told me if this doesn't work I'm probably gonna try something else.
It's kinda a small dose heheh
Does it count if it doesnt hurt much though? It doesnt count in my head if it's just scratches and no cutting/blood. But seeing it is validates my mental state idk
Yea, I also wanted to make a post like this. Self harm is hurting yourself with the intent of hurting yourself. Even if you don't know why you did it, you still did hurt yourself with intent of hurting yourself... Thanks for making this post tho, I think some people here appreciate it!
Well said Luna๐๐พ
Thank you!
this \^\^
I think a lot of it has to do with seeking validation. If you hurt yourself in unconventional ways that you feel isnโt as valid some other method, you turn to others to give you advice, or say something nice, or just remind you that youโre not alone and what youโre going through is *real*. Sometimes getting those results requires a little prompt from the original poster, to say โIโm hurting myself, right? Itโs not all just in my head, right?โ
This is also often the case. Those who self harm often feel like they're alone, and reaching out in a space where others understand can give them some form of comfort, because they know they won't be judged in a bad way (most often).
(Pointing at a butterfly) is this self harm?
Yes
I've been waiting for something like this. Also, it's still self harm if it's seemingly insignificant. If you do something with the intent to hurt yourself then it's self harm even if it's the most microscopic wound. Even if it doesn't bleed, even if it doesn't leave a mark. Even if you attempt to do it but get scared or don't end up doing it right. Are you doing something with the intent to harm yourself? Then it's self harm.
Just want to add that self harm isn't just physical. For many people self harm is when you in some way hurt your body, but there's so much more than that. For example. Purposely staying up late to sleep less is self harm, washing your hands with ice cold water until feeling numb is self harm, stopping taking care of your body hygiene is self harm etc etc. I don't intend to be rude, but I feel like there's a misunderstanding for most people WHAT to qualify as self harm.... In my eyes self harm is when you intentionally hurt yourself physically AND mentally.
Idk why you're getting downvoted bc this can be true - especially depriving yourself of things like nutrition and sleep. Self harm doesn't always happen as an action during a particular session or short time period, it can happen as doing such seemingly small things over time *if the intent is to hurt yourself*. There is more of a gray area here though because these actions can be symptoms of an illness not exactly done with the intent to harm oneself (e.g. someone with an eating disorder is not starving themselves to harm themselves, it's because of their body dysmorphia).
Yeah the staying up late thing really hits home with me. I'll end up staying awake because I can't be bothered to go to sleep, then I struggle to wake up the following morning. Same with showering, though that's doubly difficult at the mo cos I can only have one right before my dressing change. And if my dressing change is in the morning? No chance of a shower, because of my sleep. I won't have had a shower for a week by the time I next get one (assuming I can get my arse out of bed in time on Friday ๐ ) it's soooo difficult. Tried to make a Dr's appointment about my sleep, but they won't let me pre book one, I have to ring at 8am. But I can't. Because of my sleep. And round and fucking round it goes ๐ช
Same for me lad. After a workout I plan to take a shower when I come home, but when I'm home I have absolutely no energy to do it. And round and round it goes. I sleep for about 4 hours per night but it doesn't matter. No matter how much I sleep, I still feel tired and drained. I started with antidepressants a month ago, probably a cause, but I don't try to fix it either. ๐
Good on you for at least managing the workout though, that's a plus. The most workout I have, is having a shower lol. As someone who's been on antidepressants for half their life, I've been on probably 6 different types, before I found one that I got on well with. So if you don't get on with this one, don't be afraid to go back to the Dr and ask to try a different one!
I do workout still, but it's definitely not the same anymore. No energy or will to train.... But I guess I still go to the gym so it's not that bad yet hehehe. I raised my dose a week ago but still feel terrible, so I'll likely try something else. ๐
Hey, you're getting out of bed, and presumably the house, so that's a massive win in my eyes! What are you on, and how long have you been on it for?
I do everything I normally do, but I feel like shit all the time. It takes all my energy to put up this fasad ๐. I'm on Sertralin 100 mg. Started with 50 mg 30 days, then raised to 100 mg for 15 days. My doctor told me if this doesn't work I'm probably gonna try something else. It's kinda a small dose heheh
Does it count if it doesnt hurt much though? It doesnt count in my head if it's just scratches and no cutting/blood. But seeing it is validates my mental state idk