Hi im a 14 year old girl and for 3 years plus I have cut/burnt myself. I have lots of scars from my battle and everytime I look at them all I do is cry. I get picked on at school for being me, everyone calls me names and its really hurtful. I have tryed talking to professionals about my problems but they dont help me coz it just doesnt work. A few years back I got diagnosed with post tramatic stress disorder (PTSD). I have had a very hard life. But I was hoping for some ideas to stop self harming, feeling depressed and suicidal. I just want this to all stop
Sam
Hi there,
Thanks for getting in touch with me. You say you have had a "battle" and you do sound very tired and sad, like someone who has had a long, hard fight.
A lot of people hurt themselves to cope with difficult things. In fact, it's often called a "coping mechanism" because it does seem to help people cope with very difficult feelings sometimes. However, this doesn't last forever and often the self-harm itself becomes another problem.
To stop self-harming, a lot of people need to find another way of coping with their feelings, something to replace the self-harm. It kind of depends on what self-harm does for you. People use it in different ways, so someone who likes the "buzz" of self-harm might be able to replace it with a sport that gives them an adrenalin rush. For other people they might like the distraction of self-harm so something that takes them somewhere else might work - like reading or writing or listening to music. Have a look at our self-harm coping techniques. This page can help you think about the feelings that make you want to self-harm and explore ways to cope with these feelings.
It's different for everyone because people self-harm for lots of different reasons. You might have to try lots of things until you find something that works. Don't let this put you off though. It sounds like you are ready to make a change in your life and you want things to be different.
Giving up any kind of coping mechanism is often tricky. It can take a few goes so don't put too much pressure on yourself and don't worry if it takes you a while - that's pretty normal!
I guess the best advice I can give you is to find someone to talk to about everything you have been through. You say you have had a very hard life and I know people usually have had some awful things happen to them to get PTSD. Talking to someone you trust about your past and your feelings can be really helpful. ChildLine is always here for you. You can talk to a counsellor at any time and they can help you get through this.
Take Care, Sam
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