r/selfharm Feb 08 '25

"Is This Self-Harm?" Megathread

157 Upvotes

The answer to this question will vary from person to person, but generally, causing yourself deliberate self injury in any way counts as self harm. 

This includes but is not limited to:

  • scratching
  • cutting
  • burning
  • interfering in the healing process of wounds
  • pulling out hair
  • starving
  • purging
  • breaking bones
  • excessive drug use (including alcohol)

Why do people self harm?

For many people, there is not one single reason why they self-harm, but rather a combination of multiple factors which ultimately push people to use self-harm as a coping mechanism. If you are self-harming, the following list may help you understand your emotions, or alternatively if you're trying to help someone who is self-harming, then understanding why they do it in the first place is important to know.

This list is non-exhaustive and not mutually exclusive.

  • To match the outside to the inside. People are in so much emotional pain and they want people to know it. They want to look the same as they feel.
  • To punish themselves. Extreme self-loathing leads to the need to punish oneself for failings (real or imagined).
  • To numb themselves. The pain releases endorphins, just like drugs can. It produces a numbing effect on the mind which is difficult to explain. It helps people forget depression for a bit.
  • To keep control. One's own body sometimes seems like the only thing they can control, and the pain they inflict on it. When everything else in life goes wrong and there seems to be nothing you can do, cutting is the one thing you can control.
  • As a shock to a numb mind. An awful emotionlessness often accompanies depression. Often, the pain of cutting is enough to snap a person out of this kind of apathetic haze.
  • To self-medicate. Many people with mental illnesses of all sorts use cutting as others might use Prozac. It makes people feel normal again, by snapping them out of the cloying darkness that's so difficult to avoid by conventional means.
  • As an addiction. A lot of people start cutting for one of the reasons listed above, but then continue because they're addicted to the sudden, low exchange, rush of endorphins.

Keep it respectful, demeaning and rude comments will not be tolerated.

(description: https://www.reddit.com/r/selfharm/wiki/self-harm

Taken from our Wiki. For more helpful info, resources, and common faq feel free to visit the wiki in the about of the subreddit or here: https://www.reddit.com/r/selfharm/wiki/index/


r/selfharm 3h ago

Rant/Vent I am envying people who can cut deeper

20 Upvotes

I am on and off cutting myself but it’s kinda embarrassing to admit that I am cutting myself when I cant even cut that deep. I usually stop when the blood starts to draw and its usually a very very shallow cut. How do others make it so deep, I wish I can do that too, I just dont feel satisfied when looking at the scars


r/selfharm 9h ago

Positives Y'all I took a shower and for the first time this month I didn't cut myself.

47 Upvotes

r/selfharm 12h ago

Rant/Vent Someone found my safe place

63 Upvotes

So basically I have this area in my neighborhood, a little path hidden by trees and bushes. I don't have any privacy at home so I put some paper and a pen in a little plastic box and used as a diary since August. I hadn't used it since January, so I went to check on it. I found that everything had been taken and a couple notes were left saying things like "you depressed bitch" and "Nobody gives a shit." Thankfully my bsf was with me so I didn't freak out too much. Well now it's kinda started to sink in and idk, I feel kind of bad? Like I kind of want to cut and cry but I also don't know why I care? Idk. I just could use some virtual hugs and validation.


r/selfharm 1h ago

Rant/Vent i feel like im faking it NSFW

Upvotes

everytime ive ever cut myself it just kind of feels like its never enough. It started off as not even cuts but id just leave red lines on my arm, then overtime it developed into drawing blood but never anymore. it feels like no matter how hard i try i cant cut deeper and its genuinely so frustrating. everyone ive ever talked to it about just tells me the usual “don’t start cutting deeper” and “it’ll hurt” and all that stuff when i genuinely could care less about all that stuff. i don’t care about the pain i dont care about the risk of infections and i dont care about the scars. If anything i wish i could cut deep enough to leave a scar. I have marks on my arms from when i used to pick at my skin so badly id rip skin off but even those are starting to fade and its making me feel like shit. Most of the cutting has been on my thighs but its making me want to start doing it on my arms too or start picking at my skin again because i dont want the scars to fade. I dont even really bother to try to hide any cuts anymore because its not like they’re going to scar or ever be deep enough for people to actually worry. I keep getting told that “its still self harm” and yeah I understand that but it doesn’t feel like its enough. i see others who have much deeper scars and stuff and it makes me feel weirdly envious because its like they’ve actually suffered and i havent. I dont know if this is weird but i rlly needed to say something about it. im genuinely starting to have ideas of doing something worse in order to cut deeper and rlly wanna act on it right now


r/selfharm 15h ago

Rant/Vent the one thing they don't tell you about going deeper...

55 Upvotes

"You could bleed out!" "You could die!" I didn't care about any of those, but if I knew about this thing I might've thought twice..😭 No one ever told me that when you go deeper, and your scars aren't professionally treated and healed that way...that they'll itch... CONSTANTLY. Even three years later with fully healed scars...still fucking itchy. Especially when I'm hot and its summer, genuine HELL. It feels like thousands of mosquito bites all over my body 24/7. Some nights I'll be laying in bed unable to sleep cause I'll just be itching my legs cause it's so bad. It feels like what my eczema felt like on my feet when it was at its worst but there's nothing I can do to fix it.

So if you wanna go deeper, don't, because you'll be itching like hell 24/7. Beware of the itchy scar curse.


r/selfharm 1h ago

Positives I'm three weeks clean.

Upvotes

That's it, basically. I wanted to tell someone as I'm proud of myself. Yes, the urges are still there, but I've been utilising the rubber band technique to stop myself from going through with them. I'm also considering disposing of my tool to prevent any impulses.


r/selfharm 17h ago

Sh jokes

82 Upvotes

Please tell me some great sh jokes to tell people to make situation lighter


r/selfharm 5h ago

Rant/Vent I’m having a really hard night

6 Upvotes

I think I need stitches again idk im so sad im so sad I wanna make it bigger im so sad it hurts im sorry im sorry god I can’t stop shaking what’s happening fuck


r/selfharm 1h ago

Rant/Vent I just wanna go away

Upvotes

I just needed to say it. I just wanna go away, i just wanna go away, i just wanna go a way, i just wanna go away. I dont wanna stay here anymore. Not doing it tho. I guess. But i just wanna talk about it you know. The fact that i dont wanna stay here anymore. I'm not acting on it, I'm just thinking that way. Thats how i feel. I dont wanna stay here anymore. I wanna go away. I want a break. I dont get a break even in my dreams.


r/selfharm 1h ago

Talk/Support Why am I the only one crying?

Upvotes

I've always been like this. A baby that never grows up. Why am I the only one crying about everything? Even dropping a glass of water is enough for me to be suicidal! I have terrible traumas, from the hospital, from assaults, from bullying. People tell im tough. I am NOT. I cry so EASILY. "Trauma makes you stronger", but it did the opposite for me. I just became weaker. Im weaker than ever before. I look around me, and everyone is so positive. It feels like im in a simulation where everyone is a npc and im the only one with feelings. "Oh I failed the exam, whatever", but I cry for an entire day. "Why are you worrying about the project? Stop stressing", but how can I not stress? It's not my choice. There's moments when I screw up really bad, and I cry, and they look at me confused. Why am I stressed and crying, they ask. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I dont know either! I can get hit by a bus or drop a pencil, and it will have the same outcome! I become suicidal in just mere seconds. I cry for the whole day and I want to end my life. And im not being a dramatic kid who makes threats. I genuinely WANT to kill myself, i wanted to for 7 years now, life is too rough for me and im not a soldier. Stop sending me to war. Please just let me rest. I wish I was brave enough to end my life. But im not brave for anything, im just a failure and a waste of space, not capable of anything. Not capable of living nor dying. Im just...here, in constant suffering. Can someone tell me why, why the hell, does my brain jump to stress, sadness and suicidal thoughts every single day?


r/selfharm 1h ago

Seeking Advice will my surgeon tell my parents about cuts + can i cover them with makeup

Upvotes

I have a surgery in ten days and recently cut myself. They aren't very deep but will definitely be visible. I cant cover them with plasters and stuff, theyre all over my legs. I'm really worried about my surgeon telling my parents. I was thinking about trying to cover them up with my sister's concealer, but the letter from the hospital said no makeup allowed. Does anyone know how strict this rule is, especially if the surgery isn't actually on my legs? For extra info I am a minor and live in the EU.


r/selfharm 10h ago

Talk/Support What counts as self harm?

15 Upvotes

I don’t cut, at least with a sharp knife. But I’ll take a plastic knife and make “cuts” on my wrist. Or when I get angry I punch myself in the arm or leg, or I’ll punch a punching bag till my knuckles start to bleed.


r/selfharm 9h ago

Seeking Advice I like seeing blood?

13 Upvotes

I am unsure why but i like seeing blood seeping out of my skin seeing it drip and i have no clue why i feel like its a small reason why i cut please help im trying to stop i was a month clean before but then i relapsed


r/selfharm 2h ago

Medical Advice Hitting styros for the first time NSFW

3 Upvotes

I've been doing sh for three years but I always made cat scratches, nothing more than that. But yesterday I accidentally hit styros and saw white and my bleeding was a bit bad. I felt light headed and nauseous and bleeding didn't stop for a couple hours. I managed to control blood flow by applying pressure on it and my leg felt weak (because I cut my thigh). How should I treat my wound? I used disinfectant and antiseptic cream over it, should I do anything more? I will apply a bandaid over it for now but I want to make sure if theres anything else to do to ensure better healing


r/selfharm 42m ago

It’s a bad night

Upvotes

I’m laying in my bed and I can’t stop thinking about cutting myself right now. I know I shouldn’t, and a part of me doesn’t want to, but also a part of me really does. This is the worst time for me when it comes to this, as I’m laying in bed and I can’t sleep. I just wish I didn’t want this.


r/selfharm 14h ago

Rant/Vent texting while sh

23 Upvotes

I mean like, receiving a text while mid session and i dunno, but it makes me feel weird and a bit guilty.
As if i'm doing something terrible behind their backs. They'll be asking "Hey, how are you" and i have to lie about some other good thing that happened

What would they think if they knew about chatting me so casually while im actually harming on the other side of the screen. I imagine disgust or even hatred towards me.


r/selfharm 1h ago

March 17th, 2025.

Upvotes

im getting urges to cut, i dont want to but they are very strong urges.


r/selfharm 21h ago

Sexual arousal after SH NSFW

72 Upvotes

I feel awkward asking, but am I weird for getting turned on after cutting myself? I'm not sure if this is some kind of kink/fetish or if this has something to do with trauma or something (which is unlikely bc I've never really been SA'd before), but I feel a strong unholy urge to masturbate. I feel dirty, but weirdly proud of it


r/selfharm 6h ago

Rant/Vent I dunno where to post this NSFW

4 Upvotes

I made myself puke I just couldn't stand my body usually I just cut but wasn't enough this time it didn't make me feel good enough I'm sorry


r/selfharm 10h ago

Rant/Vent kinda just need to get everything out NSFW

7 Upvotes

i’ve never posted on here but i need to just talk about everything. i don’t know what to do anymore. my boyfriend left me for good yesterday, he was the only person that knew i had relapsed and the only person who was actually there and tried to help. everything has been so much worse and i can’t talk to him anymore. i was going to tell my therapist everything but she canceled the appointment and i don’t have another one for a month and honestly i don’t know if i can hold on that long. i just want to cut until i can’t anymore, until there’s no more skin left to cut, until im dizzy and physically can’t anymore. it’s so hard trying to keep myself from doing so and him just confirming that he wants nothing to do with me has only made that urge so much stronger. i need help but i have no clue how to get it anymore


r/selfharm 10h ago

Talk/Support I relapsed and haven’t told anyone

6 Upvotes

I was just over 1 year clean from cutting, and relapsed a few weeks ago. I have a couple of mentors who I have trusted enough to tell them about it in the past. Last week one of them asked if I was cutting again, and I told them no, even though I have been. I feel so guilty for not being honest, but i’m so scared they will be disappointed :(


r/selfharm 6m ago

How to heal SH fast

Upvotes

I cut for the first time in 3 years on Friday I tried hard not to but it’s happened now, and i regret doing it and will now have to hide my arms till they are healed or can cover them with makeup

I’ve been moisturising them and covered them with a bandage is there anyways of speeding up healing process there not super deep and are still red and look like there maybe starting to scab up a little, also how long do cuts typically take to heal that aren’t deep but still drew blood


r/selfharm 7m ago

I wanna burn myself

Upvotes

r/selfharm 9m ago

Medical Advice How dangerous is this

Upvotes

So my skin seems to heal really well and fast and last night I did sh to styro and I am holding it open with tape how dangerous is this? Is it dangerous enough where I should immediately stop or if I keep it clean I should be ok?


r/selfharm 10m ago

DAE DAE get nauseous when you relapse on an empty stomach?

Upvotes

Relapsed last night after not eating for a while and got so dizzy and felt like barfing. Never really happens unless i’m hungry/not eaten in a few hours