Dear Readers,
This quarter, we will be exploring self-harm because it is so often heavily stigmatized, misunderstood, feared, and brushed off. I want to bring attention to a topic that does not get the attention it deserves and requires for adequate and compassionate care. Amidst the pandemic, there has been a rise in mental and behavioral health challenges, which means a higher demand for providers. That higher demand for providers has left many areas without easy access to providers who are taking on new clients. And that lack of access has led to people dealing with their symptoms by themselves, and a part of that could include self-harm.
I would like to dispel any myths or misconceptions that people have about self-harm and I would also like for people to learn how to help those who are self-harming, whether that be learning warning signs, getting professional care, or methods of peer support. There is so much misinformation and stigma about how self-harm is the same as a suicide attempt, that it is done for attention, only adolescents self-harm, self-harm is just a phase, etc. And because of that, when people learn that someone close to them is self-harming, they often do not know what to do or how to respond. People often dance around the subject, feel awkward talking about it, or ignore it completely with the hopes that the individual will “just stop” or “grow out of it.”
The good news is that there is hope for those struggling with self-harm. Our recovery story this month will feature someone with a history of self-harm who found a way out of it. Hopefully, in sharing their story, the stigma surrounding self-harm can be reduced by making a genuine human connection with someone who has gone through the journey of recovery themselves.
We are also trying to gain more information about the causes, treatment, and social effects of self-harm. To do this, we have a survey that anyone who has self-harmed is welcome to participate in. If you know someone who has a history of self-harming, please feel free to share the survey with them as well.
In looking at the the information and stories we share on self-harm, we ask you to #RefocusLookAgain.
More to come!
Huck (Guest Editor)