Does this constitute self-harm?

[Tessar]

Ever since I can remember I've bitten the inside of my mouth every day. Quite often I do it so much that it is really sore & I get ulcers. It bleeds too.
I try really hard not to do anything to msyself when I get angry as I have done other things in the past. Because I struggle to contain my anger, I grit my teeth really hard. Last week I managed to break a filling so it had to be re-done. That did come as a bit of a shock so I have tried really hard the last few days not to do either of these things.
I'm finding it pretty difficult to resist if I'm honest. I just wasnt sure whether doing something like in your mouth actually counts as injuring yourself deliberately?
I know in the scheme of things its nothing really but i would like to stop. Sometimes i find myself doing it & I havent even realised. perhaps its just a habit that needs addressing.
Quite regularly I visualise doing things far worse than this to myself but have always resisted. at times in the past I have inflicted injuries on myself but when my partner found out, i promised not to. i havent gone back on my promised.
I know its not very helpful to think about these things & have been honest all the way though my counselling about these thoughts i have so my counsellor knows it all goes quite deep. what's making it worse at the moment i feel is that i am now addressing what i need to change for the future. i've been here before when i did therapy & I know what's coming. i guess its that time while you're trying to change that is difficult. so i suppose trying to stop myself doing what has become a method of comfort & distration is extra difficult when i am also trying to change other stuff at the same time.
i think i'm rambling now. but wonder if anyone has any useful input for me? i always feel crap on the day i see my counsellor so perhaps today is just one of those days......

[simka]

I think it depends a lot on how you view your actions, do you bite the inside of your mouth so that it hurts? Do you want it to bleed? Or do you think it's more of a habit that you have to do? I think the fact that you said you have self harming thoughts, in my eyes you are possibly self harming, but it depends on if you feel like you want to stop or not as well. I know it can be hard to stop as many of us struggle with this problem too, but we're all here for you for support and advice :)

If you need at any time, PM me for advice/support x

[Laura2.0]

I can't tell you if it counts as self harm. The question is if you are doing those things with the intention to hurt yourself or is it a habit, or maybe it is both?

[Tessar]

Yeah I feel its a bad habit really since I do it without thinking and although it makes my mouth sore I'm not doing it to inflict pain, thus the difference. I am working on the breaking the habit which is proving difficult but since I had realise now how often I am gritting my teeth hard (including pretty much every tme I wake up I seem to be doing it) I am beginning to spot what I am doing.
The other things I visualise doing by way of self-harm are more true to that, insomuch that they are always a reaction to anger & feel like my automatic reaction to feeling that way. Lately as an outlet for anger, if I have felt compelled to do something I have found a wood near my work where I go & smash up old tree branches. Even when I'm doing that it feels like I really want to hurt myself but I know I made a promise and that stays with me which is good.
Anyway I am working at stopping this habit of mine & the tooth which had been pretty sore is now calming down since I'm not bashing it all the time.

[skylarks123]

It might be a sort of nervous tic. I don't think it counts as self harm if your purpose is not to hurt yourself. However, this doesn't mean that you aren't still hurting yourself and you might want to mention it next time you see your counsellor.

xx