Self-Injury Awareness Day (SIAD) is observed every year on March 1st. Self-injury is a reality for almost 2 million people in the United States. This awareness day is hoping to bring awareness for this growing issue and help support those who are struggling with it.
Self-injury is hurting yourself on purpose that comes in many forms. Around 15% of teens and almost 25% of young adults have self-harmed in their life. Those that engage self-harm are 3.5 times more like to attempt suicide than those who have not.
Some good news is those that are self-harming can make full recoveries after treatment and therapy.
Briefly, some reasons someone would self-harm include:
to punish themselves, to distract themselves, to try to manage stress and anxiety, to feel a sense of control
Self-harmers typically struggle to deal with trauma, abuse, depression, and neglect in their personal lives and are ill-equipped to deal with these traumatic experiences in a healthy way. An individual may have a sense of emotional relief when their body is compelled to create endorphins and hormones designed to assist them deal with the pain.
Days of national and international awareness can be very helpful in drawing attention to sensitive subjects that are typically overlooked or brushed under the rug, such as self-harm, because admitting that there is a problem can be repulsive or uncomfortable. Shame and remorse are common reasons for those who self-harm to conceal their wounds and scars, which only serves to motivate them to do it again. The intention behind collective awareness campaigns is to lower these shame-based emotions and empower individuals who are experiencing difficulties to ask for assistance with a diminished fear of being misunderstood or judged.
– R.M.
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