Disclosure & Talking about Self-Harm

Starting a conversation about self-harm can be overwhelming, especially if this isn’t something you know very much about or feel comfortable talking about. We spoke with several students who had direct experiences of self-harm, and they shared some tips on what may be most helpful to them during this time:

 “…it would help students more if people spoke about it normally and were not scared by it because that makes it all the more hard to admit to anyone if you’re doing it. It needs to be spoken about more openly in my opinion.”

(Student)

Individuals with experience of providing support also shared their views on the best way to approach conversations around self-harm, and the importance of language and being sensitive towards the individual:

“I am aware that different people don’t like certain terminologies so you have to go with whatever is the view and comfortable for people who are in that position.”

Opening up these conversations may also bring up some difficult topics, and when you are close to someone, it can be difficult to hear about what they may be thinking or experiencing. It’s really important to look after yourself in these situations, and try to speak to a friend, professional or family member so that you also have space to explore and manage these feelings. (see section – self-care & looking after your own well-being; support for you).

“I suppose, supporting my sister was quite a challenging time. I mean, I would do my best to listen and give her strength. But when she would, like, say about the negative thoughts coming into her head, that would make me quite distraught. And I felt like I wasn’t doing enough to clear these thoughts from her. So I suppose, it made me question my own mental health as well.”

(Brother)