Self-harm and cutting
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Self-harm can be a way of coping with problems. It may help you express feelings you can’t put into words, distract you from your life or release emotional pain. Afterwards, you probably feel better – at least for a little while. But then the painful feelings return and you feel the urge to hurt yourself again. If you want to stop but don’t know how, remember this: you deserve to feel better and you can get there without hurting yourself.
Understanding cutting and self-harm
Self-harm is a way of expressing and dealing with deep distress and emotional pain. As counterintuitive as it may sound to those on the outside, hurting yourself makes you feel better. In fact, you may feel like you have no choice. Injuring yourself is the only way you know how to cope with feelings like sadness, self-loathing, emptiness, guilt and rage.
The problem is that the relief that comes from self-harming doesn’t last very long. It’s like slapping on a plaster when what you really need are stitches. It...
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