In my life and work I have come across many awful stories of self-harm. I’ve never done it myself. At least I thought I’d never done it myself. The Royal College of Psychiatrists lists the following as examples of self-harm: cutting yourself, burning yourself, banging your head or throwing yourself against something hard, punching yourself, sticking things in your body, swallowing things that shouldn’t be swallowed.
Reading this list feels like an act of self-harm in itself. Why on earth anyone would want to do this to themselves is quite beyond many people’s comprehension. By way of explanation, the Royal College’s website has it that: “Self-harm can give you a sense of control and reduce uncomfortable feelings of tension and distress. If you feel guilty, it can feel like a way of punishing yourself. Either way, it can become a way to deal with negative feelings and distress.”
