Why did I start to self harm?
The vast majority of members I have spoken to here, did not even know about self harm when they started. So why do we start hurting ourselves if we're not acutely aware of it?
Self harm serves a purpose in us. And it is likely that at the time we began self harming, we were going through some serious emotional stress that we had no idea how to cope with. High tension, high anxiety and/or high depression levels can all contribute to the feelings that have us wanting to self harm.
When most people start, they are looking for a release of these intense physical emotions. Because self harm [rather unfortunately] provides this release, when done once we remember it works to do that, and over time can begin to serve different purposes.
Problem with this is that self harm is an unhealthy coping mechanism, and there are many other things that can provide the release we need. And when you're ready to recover, this is what you need to focus on.
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