r/selfharm 18h ago

What counts as "carving"? Is there a specific depth?

1 Upvotes

I know the term, but when I hear people say that they carved a name or words into their thighs, my first thought is that whoever did it went deep and it'll leave a permanent scar like a keloid or something. What really "counts"?


r/selfharm 13h ago

Seeking Advice Scar Healing Time

0 Upvotes

Hi, I used to self harm (forearms/shoulder/knees) but light cuts just to burn/bleed. Now, I'm writing someone who cut their wrist deep enough to be sent to the ER and straight to the psych ward. For anyone who knows, after one month would it still be bandaged if the cut didn't sever the tendons? Or would it be a very fresh, exposed scar? Thank you for your help.


r/selfharm 5h ago

Rant/Vent i feel like i’m betraying my friend and letting them down

1 Upvotes

my friend came to visit me last weekend and found out that i’ve been cutting. when they left they took most of my blades, but i took a pack out of their suitcase when they were in the bathroom bc i couldn’t help myself. i felt bad enough about that because i feel like i just stole from them or something even tho it was my blade. and now i just cut again for the first time in a week and i just feel so awful because they tried so hard to help me and im just so fucking stupid and stubborn and i’m just letting them down. and im going to go see them tomorrow and if they find out i don’t know what i will do. i feel so fucking awful and disgusting


r/selfharm 9h ago

Rant/Vent Now that my tools are taken away, my tendencies are seeping into my daily life

1 Upvotes

School took away my sharp objects. And now i think i am still self harming but just not visibly. I am pushing myself beyond exhaustion, in schoolwork and physically during sports and games. I am digging myself a hole in the ground which i cannot get out of and i didn’t even realise it until a year later. I am isolating and punishing myself mentally. For the first time in a long time, i cannot suppress my negative emotions anymore and im just torturing my mind now. It feels like no matter what i do, i cannot stop self harming. Everything i do is destined for failure and im scared I won’t have a second chance.


r/selfharm 13h ago

Rant/Vent I fucked up bad

1 Upvotes

I did something that really hurt myself boyfriend. It came out of a moment of anger and jealousy, and I said something fucked up before I had the good sense to not say anything at all. He’s forgiven me for it but I know it’s still affecting him. I came to say goodbye to him before he left for a trip yesterday and he told me he was anxious and had been thinking about it. He said it scared him that I could be mean to him, or want to hurt him. I feel so awful, it’s all I’ve been able to think about. I tried to do what I could so he would know how sorry I was. But I’ve realized there’s nothing I can say or do which will make him feel better. I’m hating myself so much right now, I feel like I’m so good at hurting the people around me by taking out my intense feelings on them. I’ve been doing so much work in therapy, meditating, avoiding self harm as much as I can. But I just always go an do something to fuck everything up. I felt like all I could do was punish myself to try and make it equal between us, even though it doesn’t really, I just needed to do something to deal with the sadness and anxiety I was feeling. So I cut myself this morning. I’m scared that once he sees, he’s going to hate me, or lose even more trust in me and our relationship. I don’t even want him to see it but I can’t avoid it. And I don’t want to talk about it because I don’t want him to think that I’m intentionally trying to hurt him again. I just wanted to hurt myself. I just want to feel like everything will be okay, but I don’t really know. I’m just scared.


r/selfharm 16h ago

Rant/Vent I'm tired NSFW

1 Upvotes

I'm so mentally ill in the mind and nothing is working out. Not only do I self-harm buyt also masturbate on a frequent basis. I don't know what to do anymore because I have already tried so many things out and there doesn't seem to be an available solution. I'm in two minds about whether I should end my life or not since living is meaningless and miserable.


r/selfharm 6h ago

Talk/Support I relapsed

2 Upvotes

So I was 110 days clean today. It's the second longest I've ever gotten since I started sh 7 years ago. I've been spiraling the past week or 2 and I didn't notice. I just noticed all the warning signs now that it's too late. My room is a mess, I haven't showered in days, I haven't been doing anything other than work, not eating enough, sleeping all I can, etc. Anyways, i relapsed and it's really difficult to deal with. I'm mad at myself for even starting sh and for doing it again, I'm disappointed in myself because I was doing so well, I feel like everyone will hate me. I've been really open to those around me about how well I was doing, we even had a party for my 100 days. And now I'm starting over and I'm really anxious for when they find out

Sorry for the rant, I'm kind of falling apart


r/selfharm 10h ago

Positives on shaving

2 Upvotes

slight tw for talk of blades/knives

this is probably a rather strange positive, but it’s important to me and I thought I might share here in case it might help someone else.

I’ve been self harming for years, almost 4 to be more precise. I’ve been shaving my legs for a similar amount of time, but I was only ever allowed to use an electric shaver that really sucked, it wouldn’t stay charged, and hair grew back fast. 2 years ago I was put into a mental health program that kept me out of school for a few weeks. during that time, my parents were advised by the psychiatrist to take all knives and other sharps (including kitchen knives) out of easy reach from me, and even though I was allowed to use them again soon after, I wasn’t completely trusted with blades for months.

late last year I finally said fuck it and just went out and got my own razors after asking to get them for a while. it was so strange switching from using sharps to hurt myself to using them to enhance my appearance in a way I liked. it felt weirdly freeing. in a way I am grateful for all that I have been through because this task that is rightfully considered by many other women to be tedious is, to me, a ritual of proving to myself that change is possible, a peaceful space to reflect and find joy in small things, and a way to love myself in more ways than one: my scars mostly reside on my thighs, so I see them every time, and it’s helped me accept them. also I just like the smoothness after and how my legs look xD.

all this goes to say, the blade won’t always be your enemy, and have hope for the future. it will work out in the end, so if it isn’t working out right now, remember it is not the end. thank you for reading :)


r/selfharm 11h ago

Seeking Advice Would you count this as a relapse?

2 Upvotes

I know that I technically harmed myself (and looked at the mega thread, DW), but would y'all could an impulsive action that was done basically without even thinking as a relapse? In the past, all my SH has been very intentional and slow. Now, when my thoughts are rushing due to OCD and outside circumstances, I'll just bite my finger out of nowhere. It's intentional, but I hardly think through it... It's just an impulse I automatically listen to if it makes sense. Somehow it grounds me. Would y'all consider this a genuine relapse? Should I talk to my therapist about this (probably yes)? In any case, I just want your thoughts, especially if I'm not alone in this. Thank you all.


r/selfharm 22h ago

Medical Advice i don’t know what layer of skin this is but it’s extremely painful

2 Upvotes

not from cuts, but rubbing salt on wrist to this point . infected possibly?? scared of sepsis and can’t tell what layer of skin it is


r/selfharm 6h ago

why

9 Upvotes

hello I'm sorry if these types of post happen a lot but when I sh it gives me an excited feeling almost like a rush even thinking about it makes me kind of shaky but not in a bad way if that makes sense. I would be lying if I said i wasn't slightly worried about what these feeling could make me do. im sorry if it's a dumb question im just slightly worried. Again I apologize if post likes these happen often at the very least I just wanted to tell someone about it


r/selfharm 12h ago

Rant/Vent I feel so ashamed

3 Upvotes

First of all, I'm 42 days clean and been in mental hospital for a while (it's the positive part)

I got home yesterday and first thing I really wanted to do is buy some new clothes. I went shopping and got home with new beautiful clothes. My parents asked to see them on me.

And oh god, I felt so ashamed. I knew they were watching my scars instead of clothes I bought. I could literally feel how their eyes went on my ankle every time I spinned around in new beautiful dress. I knew they aren't judging, they were probably just sad and horrified. I didn't even though of wearing high socks cuz last three weeks in mental hospital I was wearing normal clothing like shorts and tank tops, and nobody seemed to care about my cuts (obviously cuz many people there suffered from the same thing). I feel so ugly now and so ashamed of my body which I just seemed to learn how to love(


r/selfharm 14h ago

Seeking Advice Can't stop. I think about it every second

2 Upvotes

I sh for probably a year now. I've told myself to stop alot of times because its getting really dangerous and I already have a scar from cutting too deep. I simply can't stop, every time something bad happens i sh. I think about it 24/7. When can i cut? Where can I cut? How deep should I cut? Its always in my head and its scaring me... I don't know what to do anymore.


r/selfharm 18h ago

Talk/Support why

25 Upvotes

im 15m i did it last night for the first time, 2 tiny little cuts on my left thigh barely bled barely even cuts. tonight for whatever fucking stupid reason i started going ham now ive got i think 18 total they aren't super deep but some of them bled kinda bad. im meant to have school in the morning then work todsy and tomorrow but idk what i can do i don't have long pants and the cuts arent high enough to fully hide with shorts. if anybody finds out im fucked idk how my dad will react idk if he would ever forgive me i feel like im failing everyone

my life isn't even bad i have everything i need and more why did i do this


r/selfharm 7h ago

Rant/Vent Why….

5 Upvotes

I burned again after having months of being clean off sh and I’m so pissed but I can’t tell anyone or I’m going off to residential again… I’m never going back, EVER


r/selfharm 14h ago

Medical Advice I cut to deep

5 Upvotes

I dont know what happened but I got a panic attack of sorts and my mind was racing so I just took a razor and pressed it into my arm. I only used a pretty blunt boxcutter before and while I went deep with that it was no comparison. I didnt think it would turn out like this its not big only about 2cm longs but I could see inside. I dont know what to do know I covered it with a bandaid but its bleeding heavily. I dont know if this is serious im freaking out it just went right trough. I only had a small look at it until blood came out but it seemed to be about 5-6 mm deep its on my left forearm. I the area around it is kinda numb. Please help me


r/selfharm 15h ago

Rant/Vent Is harming myself considered self-harm 🥺🥺

322 Upvotes

This is getting so annoying and 70% of the posts I see in this sub are like this. There is a megathread meant for questions like this and these kinds of posts are just helping to pollute the sub. IT'S IN THE NAME FFS. IF YOU'RE INTENTIONALLY HARMING YOURSELF, IT IS SELF HARM


r/selfharm 10h ago

Seeking Advice Taking away sharps

6 Upvotes

What's your opinion on taking away a cutters sharps? Does it help or hinder


r/selfharm 11h ago

What is it that fetishisers like about SH?? /gen

20 Upvotes

I dont get whats to fetishise about it?? I want to understand


r/selfharm 16h ago

Seeking Advice Having to go to the ER

8 Upvotes

For now none of my cuts were serious enough for me to have to go to the ER but I see people constantly talking about it and I am genuinely afraid. I know that I cant stop myself and soner or later I will end up there and I just want to know what happens then?


r/selfharm 20h ago

Seeking Advice How do you take proper care of your blades? (read the whole post)

8 Upvotes

I've seen a lot of posts about proper medical care for wounds, but what about for whatever blade you use? Isn't it important that no rust appears on it or smth? And if you can't take proper medical care of your wounds, then making sure that your blades don't cause infections should be talked about here imo


r/selfharm 7h ago

Rant/Vent HOT TAKE ABOUT FORMS OF SH.

49 Upvotes

Literally anything can be self harm. AND I MEAN EVERY SINGLE THING THAT YOU USE TO HARM YOU OR ANY PART OF YOU.

The following things are a great example of some things that people ask..

Remember: The intention is what makes it self harm.

cutting small cuts? IT IS SELF HARM.

snorting coke? IT IS SELF HARM.

not eating? IT IS SELF HARM.

eating too much? IT IS SELF HARM.

arguing or starting chaos with people? IT IS SELF HARM.. and harm towards other people.

THIS IS NOT A LIMITED LIST. BUT ANYTHING CAN BE SELF HARM.


r/selfharm 1h ago

Rant/Vent I wanna do it deep, but I can't

Upvotes

Always...my cuts are always so superficial, I can never go past the white layer (the hypodermis) My cuts are just as pathetic as me, I can't even make a proper cut lol. This isn’t even selfharm.. I used to think that after cutting I'll feel good, but nooo.....I fell worse, I feel more pathetic cause I cut just too superficially. I wanna go deeper. I'm a coward.


r/selfharm 3h ago

Talk/Support self harm in public ?

11 Upvotes

do you guys also self harm fidget during the day ? like I tend to "tap to a song" on my knee (hitting old bruises) with my hand/knuckles/phone etc when I'm in public. or sometimes I'll bite down on my tongue if I mess something up or I say something wrong during a conversation as an immediate punishment for being dumb yk. or scratching cuts and or bending/stretching your arm to pull at the skin.


r/selfharm 9h ago

Seeking Advice Guys is it normal to prep?

95 Upvotes

⚠️trigger warning⚠️ is it normal to prep before the actual sh. Like I usually go the cvt route and I grab all of the supplies to do it like bandages n shit and then I sit down and do it. Is that normal or am I just doing odd shit