Self-harm and Suicide
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The difference between self-harm and suicide….
People who self-harm normally do not wish to kill themselves. Suicide is a way of ending life, but many self-harmers see hurting themselves as a way of coping with life and being able to continue with living. For some, experiencing the pain of self-harm reassures them they are still alive – this might be because they are experiencing emotional numbness or feeling disconnected with the world around them. It can also cause changes in the brain chemistry, which, although ‘satisfying’, can easily become addictive and therefore dangerous.
Sometimes harmers do die. This is usually because they have taken an act of self-harm too far and they lose their lives before help is found. Coroners have to be 100% certain beyond any reasonable doubt that someone intended to kill themselves before recording a verdict of suicide, so lots of people who die as a result of self-injury are often given verdicts of ‘accidental death’, especially if they are known to harm often. It is important to know a bit about your body in order to keep yourself safe - self-harm is never, ever good, but there are small things that can make a big difference and maybe save your life. If you are still going to hurt yourself, then it's important you try and do it in the safest way possible - losing you would be a tragic waste.
