This year, I've compiled a self injury related artwork feature -- but before you look too worried about triggers and click off, I want you to know that these works have been chosen carefully to minimise triggers for those who do self harm.
I don't believe it's necessary to use triggering images to promote awareness of the topic, and actually think that can be sometimes counter productive, so while I can't guarantee you won't be triggered by the artworks I've included, I can tell you there's nothing graphic or of a particularly triggering nature.
If, in viewing the images and artworks, you become triggered, please seek help from someone you trust.
Many people believe that self harm affects only teenagers, that it is just cutting or that it is an act that people do only for attention. These are all myths, steeped heavily in stigma, and not true to the facts. In actuality, self harm affects people of all ages (and genders, for those of you who believe self harm is female only), encompasses many different methods, and has as many reasons behind it as there are individuals engaging in the behaviour.
If someone you know tells you they self injure, there are many ways you can help them. Although individuals vary in how they prefer their friends and loved ones to respond to their self harm, there are a few things that I have found to be fairly universal.
- Don't pressure them to go into hospital, but do encourage them to seek professional help. While self harm is generally not serious enough to require hospitalisation, health/mental health professionals can judge whether your friend's is, and/or can help them find ways to quit if and when they are ready to.
- Don't try and force your friend to quit self harm. Don't provide ultimatums or tell them you won't be their friend if they continue to self harm -- these add undue stress to your friend who may not yet be ready to give up their coping mechanism, and are likely to increase the self harming behaviours.
- Understand that your friend is still the same person they were before they told you about their self harm. They still laugh at things that amuse them, enjoy activities and their loved ones, the same as they did before. Don't sweep their self harm under the rug and pretend it was never mentioned, but not every conversation has to be about it, either.
- Respect their decisions on what they do about their self injury. If they choose not to quit it at this time, accept that -- like smoking, drinking, and comfort eating, self injury is a coping mechanism that the person must choose to overcome on their own. By all means, be there for them if they do tell you that they wish to quit, but don't try and browbeat them into doing it if they don't want to.
Thank you for viewing! If you have any specific questions about self harm, or my history with it, please feel free to ask them respectfully. I am always open to respectful communication around any of my issues as I believe that's a major part of overcoming stigma and myths, so, folks, go for it.
I hope you enjoyed the feature and have come away with a better understanding of self injury and how it can affect even the people you know.
((This feature has been submitted to rainylake's Project Feature competition.))
I hope you enjoyed the feature and have come away with a better understanding of self injury and how it can affect even the people you know.
((This feature has been submitted to rainylake's Project Feature competition.))
