About Self-Harm

Self-harm is often misunderstood and the focus is on stopping it. At Time and Space we take a harm reduction approach. We do not focus on stopping self harm, instead we support members to find ways to manage their self harm and provide and open space to discuss these experiences.

Myths

People who self-harm are suicidal

People who self-harm are attention seeking

People who self-harm must like the pain

Only young people self-harm

People can stop self-harming if they want to

Only women self-harm

Self-harm is all about cutting

If we can stop the person self-harming they will be fixed

Facts

Self-harm is a coping mechanism and is not about suicide

Self-harm is usually a private event and people only usually involve others when they need to

Self-harming isn’t always about pain, sometimes the person doesn’t even feel it

Self-harm can affect people of any age

Men also self-harm

Self-harm can take many forms

There are other issues that may need to be addressed before the person can stop self-harming