Self Harm

If you need immediate help because you are injured, or if you have taken an overdose, you should call 999. 

If you are thinking of harming yourself, you can also phone 0808 196 3779, the Nottinghamshire Mental Health Crisis Line, 24/7. SHOUT: is a free, confidential, anonymous text support service for anyone struggling to cope. Available 24/7. Text NOTTS to 85258.

Talking about self-harm can be really difficult.  If you are self-harming right now, try to speak to someone you trust about it. If you would prefer to talk to someone you don’t know, check out the Get Help Now links on this page.

What is self-harm?

Self-harm is when you hurt yourself on purpose. It’s a way of trying to deal with emotions, thoughts or life situations that feel too much. People self-harm in lots of different ways, and self-harm can affect people of any age. Some people who self-harm also have suicidal thoughts, but there are a lot of people who self-harm who don’t have these thoughts. However you hurt yourself, self-harm is a sign of distress and should be taken seriously. Click below to read about some common ways that people hurt themselves:

• Scratching or biting yourself
• cutting yourself using a sharp object
• hitting or burning yourself
• hitting walls
•  misusing medicines
• getting into situations on purpose where you risk getting hurt, including fights.

Self-harm might make you feel less distressed for a short time, but afterwards you might feel guilty, ashamed, or worried someone will find out about your self-harming. You also might accidentally cause serious physical harm to yourself. When difficult feelings start to build up again, you might feel like you need to hurt yourself again, and it can be hard to break out of this cycle.

Self-harm can become a habit. If you have been self-harming for a while, it might feel like it is your only way to cope, which can be scary. But there are things you can do to stop self-harming and feel better. And with support, you can learn other ways of coping when things feel too much. Recovery is possible.

You might find this video from BBC Three helpful:

This video from MIND talks about self-harm and mental health:

Things you can do to help 

There are lots of things you can do in the moment to help you if are trying not to self-harm.  When you feel the urge to self-harm building up, you could try to:

• Reach out for support – talk to a trusted friend, family member, someone you trust or mental health organisation. Talking about your feelings can support you in breaking the cycle of self-harm.
• go for a walk or do some gentle exercise
• distract yourself by focusing on your breathing
• play music and sing or dance along
• if the pain is important, try holding an ice cube until it melts
• write down your thoughts
• hit a cushion or your mattress
• tear up a magazine or newspaper
• make a self-soothe box
• go to a public place like a park or a cafe
• Think about a hobby or activity you enjoy.

 Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, TIPP skills:

If you have wounds from self-harm it’s important to look after them. If you use a sharp object to hurt yourself, make sure you clean it regularly, and always keep a first aid kit in the house with anti-septic wipes, plasters and bandages. If you are worried that a wound might be infected, get medical help from your GP or by calling 111. If you need emergency treatment, call 999 or go to your local Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.