I can't stop hurting myself

[lost_echo]

it's kinda weird because I don't necessarily feel depressed. I know what it feels like to be depressed or really depressed to the point where I feel the need to feel something real but right now, I genuinely don't feel depressed and yet I find myself harming myself more each time. I don't really know what to do. It's almost as if I want to hurt myself for no reason.

[Doors24]

Dear lost_echo,

I often find that my form of self-harming achieves a release of anxiety and pressure. I don't necessarily have to be distressed to do it either. If I just get that hit from it, I feel a sense of achieving something.

I guess it just depends on what type of harm you are doing and how dangerous it is for yourself. And if something like permanent damage could happen.

It could very well be that there is an underlying reason why you feel you want to hurt yourself, but don't recognize it yet.

It also isn't shameful to ask for help to try to sort that out, if you feel like that is something you wanted to explore in the future.

All the best,

Doors24

[Guest_46178959]

Hey lost_echo,

Thank you for sharing your experiences. In my experience I have never self-harmed due to feeling depressed. Many people self-harm for different reasons, and they are not always depressed when they do so.

Whilst I haven't self-harmed in a while, when I did hurt myself it was because my Anxiety would get too much. When my Anxiety got too much and I couldn't think, the only way to calm down was to be in pain, as when you are in pain the brain releases chemicals to calm you down.

There is always a reason behind why someone might start harming themselves. It might not be clear right now, but if you find out the cause and work through it, it will become easier to stop.

It is okay to ask for help, if not a close family member or friend than a counsellor. You don't have to figure this out on your own.