Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages or injures their body and is a sign of emotional distress. Support is available for anyone who self-harms.
Visit the 'I need urgent help' page for more information around the support available for children and young people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. If you have seriously harmed yourself or you feel that you may be about to harm yourself, call 999 for an ambulance or go straight to A&E.
Rethink Mental Illness
Rethink mental illness looks at what self-harm is and why you may self-harm. It could help if you are using self-harm to cope with how you’re feeling, or if you are thinking about self-harming. It explains what support you can get and how to help yourself.
Visit the Rethink Mental Illness website.
National Self Harm Network
The National Self Harm Network have some self-harm distraction techniques for young people who self harm.
Read the National Self Harm Network distraction techniques leaflet..
NHS
Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages or injures their body. Support is available for anyone who self-harms or thinks about self-harm, as well as their friends and family.
Harmless
Harmless is a user-led organisation that provides a range of services about self-harm including support and information to people who self-harm, their friends and families and professionals.
LifeSIGNS
LifeSIGNS provide information about self-injury and while they will never tell anyone to ‘stop’, they can support people as and when they choose to make changes in their lives.
Self-Injury Support
Self-Injury Support for women of any age or background affected by self-injury, whether their own or that of a friend or family member. Call their helpline on 0808 800 8088, text them on 07537 432444 or send an email to tessmail
Self Injury Support also provide a Rainbow Journal. This is a book aimed at helping young people move from self-harm to self-care. It has blank pages for writing about feelings and for drawing. It includes artwork, quotes and poems by young people who self-injure. It can be used on its own or in conjunction with counselling, as an additional tool. The Rainbow Journal is available for free to under-18s in the UK.