Trigger Warning: The following information discusses self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Please take care while reading, and step away if you need to.
Some people hurt themselves as a way of coping with overwhelming distress. This can look different for everyone. For many, self-harm is not about wanting to die, it’s a way of managing intense emotional pain when things feel unbearable. If this is something you’re experiencing, you are not broken or weak. You are trying to survive something very difficult.
Self-harm can sometimes bring a short sense of relief or calm, but those feelings often don’t last, and the underlying pain remains. You deserve support with what you’re going through — you don’t have to face it alone.
If you are self-harming, or feel at risk of doing so, it can help to think about your safety. Try to reduce risks where you can, and seek medical attention if you are injured or unwell. If something feels serious, if you’re bleeding heavily, have burns, signs of infection, or think you may have taken too much medication or a harmful substance, it’s important to get urgent medical help.
You might also find it helpful to talk to someone you trust, such as a friend, family member, or support worker. Speaking about what’s going on can feel hard, but it can make a real difference.
Some people who self-harm also experience suicidal thoughts. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, or thinking about ending your life, support is available right now. You can reach out to:
-
Talking therapies and specialist services, where trained professionals can help you explore what’s happening and find ways to cope.
-
Grassroots Suicide Prevention, who offer compassionate listening and practical support.
-
Your GP, local crisis team, or emergency services if you’re in immediate danger.
If you’re able to, letting someone know how you’re feeling is a powerful first step.
Please remember: many people use self-harm as a way of coping, especially when they feel alone or unheard. You deserve care, understanding, and support — and help is available, whenever you’re ready to reach out.
There are things you can do to minimise harm. Some ideas are:
- Avoid drugs and/or alcohol if you think you are likely to self-harm, so you don’t accidentally wound yourself more seriously than you intended.
- Prevent infection by using something clean when you cut. Never share what you use to self-injure. Try to avoid areas where there are major veins and arteries close to the surface.
- Make sure your tetanus jabs are up to date.
- Put burns under cold water for 20/30 minutes. Burns and scalds can be more severe than you think – the pain can be far worse later. Cling film, loosely covering the burn, can act as a temporary dressing. You can buy creams and sprays for burns from your chemist.
- Be prepared. Have dressings and antiseptics ready so you can care for your injuries. You can learn more about looking after wounds, cuts, burns and so on from a first aid book, someone you trust who knows about first aid or perhaps the nurse in your doctor’s practice.
- Call an ambulance if blood is spurting from a wound. Wrap the injury in a clean towel or tea towel and try and stay calm. Clean any cuts with gauze swabs, not cotton wool. Cover with a dry, non-adhesive dressing. It can be useful to keep antiseptic creams, sprays etc. handy. Paper stitches can be used to close superficial wounds.
- If any of your cuts are gaping and deep you will need medical attention. Try to keep the injured part raised and apply pressure until you get to hospital, to reduce the bleeding.
- You should also seek medical attention for burns larger than a fifty pence piece, or that have penetrated deep into the skin.
- If cuts or burns become infected it is important to get medical treatment or you may become seriously ill.
- Shock can occur if you lose a lot of blood (spurting or running continuously) or if you have severe or large burns. Call an ambulance if this happens.
- Poisoning. If you drink bleach or any other corrosive liquid you can be in danger of poisoning. You must get medical advice or attention immediately.
- Overdoses. If you think you may have taken too many drugs (prescribed or illegal) get medical help quickly, particularly with drugs such as paracetamol. Remember you are not alone. Many people self-harm as a way of coping.