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Mental Health Care for Thoughts of Wanting to Hurt Yourself

Keeping your mental health in check is vital to form a positive outlook on life. Several variables can be responsible for self-injury. Seeking a professional's help will help you overcome your distress. A mental health professional can help you identify what triggers you to inflict pain on your body and how to deal with it.

Psychotherapy is the most effective treatment that a professional might administer in your treatment plan. Psychotherapy is also known as talk therapy. Therapists usually allocate talk-based psychological counselling to understand the reason behind distress better. When you talk out loud in a safe space under the guidance of a skilled counsellor, you can:

• Recognize your triggers.
• Identify any underlying disorder that might be responsible for your condition.
• Get a clear understanding of how to manage your emotions.
• Build better stress managing strategies.
• Discover a better perception of yourself.
• Learn how to build better relationships.
• Become confident to function better in a social setting.

There are different types of psychotherapy that a therapist might implement. Such as:

• CBT, also known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, helps identify and replace damaging behaviours. CBT sessions focus on finding how a harmful belief is formed by keeping a record—and, gradually, replacing the negative perspective with a positive outlook.
• Mindfulness-Based Therapy focuses on appreciating the current moment. Practising mindfulness helps you better perceive the actions and emotions of the people around you. Mindfulness is about changing your attitude toward life and seeing the brighter side.
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a form of CBT. It focuses on managing and regulating emotions. You learn how to endure hardships by comprehending new behavioural skills.

All these therapy types function as a one on one sessions with an individual. However, in some cases, a therapist can even recommend group or family therapy sessions.

Major Causes

Self-injury isn't a product of a single reason. People prone to harm themselves might be subject to several emotional dilemmas. Generally, a person who lacks proper coping mechanisms is highly susceptible to this condition.

Unsupportive parents or peers can confine a person from sharing their emotions, leaving them to handle their mental predicament independently. Body image issues such as body dysmorphia or eating disorders also lead to body mutilation. Low esteem causes a sense of self-hatred. And the absence of moral and emotional support can only aggravate any distress.

Warning Signs

You must pay close attention if you are suspicious that someone around you is submitting themselves to harm's way. Those indulging in this behaviour always walk on eggshells around people. They become wary of how people might react and often hide their own emotions. In case you are concerned that someone's distress is taking a detrimental turn, here are some warning signs to watch out for:

• Self-isolation: You might notice that the person prefers spending time alone. A general disconnection from the social world might also be an alarming sign—people who self-harm like to be alone while harming themselves.
• Frequent 'accidents': It is common to disguise frequent cuts and bruises as accidents. You might notice that there is a pattern of old and new scars. Old wounds could be a sign of regular self-harm behaviour.
• Possession of 'tools': You might discover a collection of sharp objects they keep hidden away. It is common for them to use weapons, such as blades, knives, or lighters. They may describe them as simple tools. But if you find there are more tools than necessary they could be using them to self-harm, such as an unusual amount of blades hidden around their room, it would help to confront them gently.
• Old and new blood stains: It would be helpful to check for their belongings to find any blood stains constantly. They can use items like towels and handkerchiefs to stop the bleeding generally. It is even possible to find blood stains on their clothes.
• Unusual sense of dressing: It might be possible to find a drastic change in their clothing. You might notice that the person regularly wears long-sleeved tops or full-length bottoms, despite the weather being hot or sunny. It might be the way they are hiding their scars.

Risk Factors

Teenagers or young adults are the most susceptible to this. People can be prone to harming themselves despite their age. However, the number of younger individuals may be more prominent. In teenagers, self-injury might be due to overwhelming emotions and a lack of understanding over how to deal with them. Adolescence can be confusing, and the feeling that no one understands you can be incredibly isolating.

Young individuals' emotions often get disregarded or deemed insignificant. And the lack of moral support can make matters worse. Certain variables can turn into risk factors:

• Wrong company: It's a possibility that having friends who self-harm can be a significant influence.
• Childhood trauma: People who might have experienced traumatic life events are more likely to injure themselves. A traumatic life event can be as simple as parental negligence to a severe abuse case. Both emotional and physical abuse can be equally detrimental to a person's mental well-being.
• History of mental disorder: People with an additional mental illness can also be at risk.
• Substance abuse: Getting influenced to try and abuse substances can also trigger it. In some cases, inflicting pain might also result from substance withdrawal.

Common Types of Self Inflicted Injuries

People often self-harm in isolation. Usually, the injuries are controlled behaviour and follow a pattern. The most common types of injuries that people can inflict are:

• Laceration — Cutting the skin's surface with sharp objects like razor blades.
• Bruising — Excessively scratching, pinching, or rubbing skin to form bruises
• Burning — Putting out cigarettes, matches, or lighter to burn the skin.
• Branding — Cutting or burning words or symbols on the skin.
• Punching — Repeatedly punching a hard surface or hitting own body parts.

The most common area accessible for inflicting injury are:

• Arms
• Legs
• Front torso
• Upper thighs

These body parts are also easy to hide, which might be why they often go unnoticed.

How to Deal With Your Symptoms

If you recognize these symptoms as your own, you should remember that there is a way out. Try to understand that you shouldn't be ashamed of your shortcomings. Asking for help can take a lot of strength. You only need to believe that you have that courage. Talking to a loved one, a parent, a sibling, or a friend can help your state of mind. It would also help if you opened up about your concerns to someone. You don't have to suffer alone.

Therapy is one of the best ways to overcome self-harm behaviour. A therapist will offer you a safe space to discuss your concerns, regardless of age.

You can even try meditation, hypnosis, or other self-relaxation techniques to ease your stress.

Get Treatment From a Licensed Therapist Who’s Right For You

If you find yourself stuck in this vicious loop, or if someone close to you has similar symptoms, consider seeking a professional's help. The best solution is to find a licensed therapist and follow their consultations. Self-mutilation can turn into a grave issue. Therefore, it is vital to find a professional that you find suitable.

A therapist can help uncover your reasons and triggers and provide strategies that work for you.

Schedule a Virtual Psychotherapy Appointment with a Counsellor Today

At DocVita, you can find the right help for your concerns. You can get a hassle-free booking experience with us. With a convenient browsing experience, you get access to highly skilled professionals. We also have a simple booking process to schedule your virtual psychotherapy appointment from the comfort of your space.

Book an appointment with a skilled DocVita therapist today!