CRISIS TEXT LINE

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

Crisis Text Line serves anyone facing mental health challenges, providing access to free, 24/7, confidential support through communication channels people know and trust.

How to Cope with Self Harm

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

We all need healthy ways to cope with the hard stuff. We’re here to help you find a healthy alternative to self-harm.

Understanding Self-Harm

For some people, when depression and anxiety lead to a tornado of emotions, they turn to self-harm looking for a release. Self-harm and self-injury are any forms of hurting oneself to cope. Sometimes, when people self-harm, they do not do so as a suicide attempt. Rather, they inflict pain as a way to release painful emotions.

Common Types of Self-Harm

Self-harm can manifest differently for everyone. And, the ways people may inflict harm upon themselves extend far beyond the usual news media references such as cutting. Simply, self-harm is anything and everything someone can do to purposely hurt their body.

Here are some of the most common types of self-injury:

• Cutting
• Scratching
• Burning
• Carving words or symbols into the skin
• Hitting or punching oneself (including banging one’s head or other body parts against another surface)
• Piercing the skin with sharp objects such as hairpins
• Pulling out hair
• Picking at existing wounds

Recognizing the Signs of Self-Harm

Stigma creates shame and embarrassment, making it hard for people who self harm to get help. So, look out for yourself and for your pals. If you suspect that someone in your life is doing it, here are some warning signs to keep top of mind:

• Scars
• Fresh cuts, burns, scratches, or bruises
• Rubbing an area excessively to create a burn
• Having sharp objects on hand
• Wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather
• Difficulties with interpersonal relationships
• Persistent questions about personal identity
• Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsiveness, or unpredictability
• Saying that they feel helpless, hopeless, or worthless

Crisis Text Line can help you deal with self-injury. Text a Crisis Counselor at 741741, or use the mobile text button below.

How to Cope With Self-Harm

Emotions can be really painful sometimes. It’s totally normal to need ways to cope with and process the hard things in your life. If you are using harming yourself to manage your emotions, we’re here for you. And, we want to help keep you safe.

Here are some ways to push through, process, and cope with your emotions.

• Text someone you trust or a counselor to help you cool down. If you’re dealing with painful emotions, we’re here to help. Send us a text to connect with a real human and strategize healthy coping mechanisms to manage your emotions. Text CONNECT to 741741 to  reach a real human.
• Get creative.  Did you know that  making art can help people process emotions? So, next time you’re feeling like harming yourself, grab your sharpie and doodle your worries away. A bonus: you can totally suck at it and still reap the same rewards.
• Meditate or breathe deeply. Keeping yourself safe from self-injury is all about finding healthy alternatives to work through the hard stuff. Researchers found taking time to re-center through meditation to be a powerful way to find your cool and calm. Try using an app like Headspace to get on the meditation bandwagon.
• Talk to a professional. Self-injury of any form is serious. And, while the intention behind self-injury usually is not death, it can still be dangerous—both physically and emotionally. Talking to someone who can help you find alternatives is incredibly important. Of course, you can start by texting us. Also, consider telling someone you know who can help you connect with a professional.

Why Do People Self-Harm?

Let’s start with this: everyone needs a way to cope with their emotions. People who have turned to hurting themselves as their coping mechanism to manage their emotions.

So, people might self-harm to:

• Process difficult emotions
• Distract themselves from their negative feelings
• Feel something physical, particularly if they are feeling numb
• Develop a sense of control over their lives
• Punish themselves for perceived faults
• Express emotions that they are unable to share

Effects of Self-Harm

Self-harm can be seriously dangerous—physically, emotionally, socially, all of it.

Physical Effects of Self-Harm

• Permanent scars
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Risk of infection or severe injury

Emotional Effects of Self-Harm

• Guilt, shame, or emotional numbness
• A diminished sense of self, including feeling helpless or worthless
• Addiction to the behavior

Social Effects of Self-Harm

• Avoiding friends and loved ones
• Becoming ostracized from loved ones who may not understand
• Interpersonal difficulty from lying to others about injuries

Recovering from Self-Harm

A lot of people who self-harm do so because they are dealing with painful emotions. If this applies to you—we believe in you and recognize your pain. Because painful emotions are at the root of it, quite often recovering involves addressing emotions.

Breaking away from the cycle of harming yourself can feel like a huge climb. It involves breaking a habit that has once brought comfort from pain. But, it is not impossible. Here are some steps to set you up for success:

• Understand your triggers. Name your reason for hurting yourself and your reason for quitting. Ask yourself: “What do I feel before, during, and after self-injury? Which of those emotions do I actively seek out, and which are harmful?”
• Replace harmful behaviors. For example, if you harm yourself for the physical sensation, seek other ways of releasing endorphins, like exercise. For real, try throwing a few punches at a kickboxing class or tapping it back in a spin class with the *perfect* playlist. If you SH to express your emotions, practice expressing them in words by writing them down. Grab a pen and your favorite notebook, or start typing away in your notes app.
• Address underlying emotions. Explore the feelings that lead you to want to hurt yourself. If it’s guilt, where is that guilt coming from? Maybe try finding a therapist—there are pros trained specifically to help with this.
• Build a support system. Let a friend, family member, or trusted adult know what you’re going through and that you need their support. Opening up to people can be easier said than done. Here’s a place to start: “I’m having a hard time processing some painful emotions and I could use your support right now.”

Getting healthy—both in your brain and in your body—takes hard work. You got this. And, we believe in you.

Text a Crisis Counselor at 741471 or use the mobile click to text button below.  Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 and confidential. You’re not alone.

Increasing Outreach to Teens

​Teens are more connected than ever ​before and the Boys Town National Hotline^® at 800-448-3000 is right there with them.

In addition to calling, teens can now text VOICE to 20121 or email [email protected] any day, any time to speak with a trained counselor.

Online resources are also available at yourlifeyourvoice.org.

Death2Life.Com

A REFUGE FOR THE SUICIDAL

Let’s Chat – 24/7 Help and Hope

TEXT D2L @ 9167

LiveChat

Messenger

ABOUT

Death2life was founded in 2009 by Mario and Kerry D’Ortenzio. Born out of their own painful season of suffering, they envisioned a refuge where people who found themselves in a dark place could find a care, counsel, and hope.

After their fourth daughter was diagnosed with a life-limiting syndrome and severe disabilities, they both experienced a sadness they had never felt before. Up until that point in their lives, they had been able to fix whatever was wrong with hard work or some sort of finagling. But this could not be fixed, and the future looked scary and dark. God felt very distant. And people felt distant.

Out of that pain and loneliness, Death2life was born. They found hope and healing during that very dark night and wanted to share it with others who found themselves in that place. They wanted to make sure no one had to suffer alone. They wanted to connect suicidal people with a Christ-connected person who could relate and who would gently walk them through tough days.

That initial vision led to partnerships with many faith-based and secular organizations, including Google, which recognized the need to intercept site users looking for ways to die. We now have hundreds of loving conversations daily to provide a space for honest, caring conversations and an introduction to a God who sees them.

D2L is a Refuge for the Suicidal.
We offer free resources 24/7.
Since 2009, Death2Life has reached over 4 Million Hopeless
and Suicidal in over 100 countries with hope and healing.

CRISIS TEXT LINE

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

Crisis Text Line serves anyone facing mental health challenges, providing access to free, 24/7, confidential support through communication channels people know and trust.

How to Cope with Self Harm

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

We all need healthy ways to cope with the hard stuff. We’re here to help you find a healthy alternative to self-harm.

Understanding Self-Harm

For some people, when depression and anxiety lead to a tornado of emotions, they turn to self-harm looking for a release. Self-harm and self-injury are any forms of hurting oneself to cope. Sometimes, when people self-harm, they do not do so as a suicide attempt. Rather, they inflict pain as a way to release painful emotions.

Common Types of Self-Harm

Self-harm can manifest differently for everyone. And, the ways people may inflict harm upon themselves extend far beyond the usual news media references such as cutting. Simply, self-harm is anything and everything someone can do to purposely hurt their body.

Here are some of the most common types of self-injury:

• Cutting
• Scratching
• Burning
• Carving words or symbols into the skin
• Hitting or punching oneself (including banging one’s head or other body parts against another surface)
• Piercing the skin with sharp objects such as hairpins
• Pulling out hair
• Picking at existing wounds

Recognizing the Signs of Self-Harm

Stigma creates shame and embarrassment, making it hard for people who self harm to get help. So, look out for yourself and for your pals. If you suspect that someone in your life is doing it, here are some warning signs to keep top of mind:

• Scars
• Fresh cuts, burns, scratches, or bruises
• Rubbing an area excessively to create a burn
• Having sharp objects on hand
• Wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather
• Difficulties with interpersonal relationships
• Persistent questions about personal identity
• Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsiveness, or unpredictability
• Saying that they feel helpless, hopeless, or worthless

Crisis Text Line can help you deal with self-injury. Text a Crisis Counselor at 741741, or use the mobile text button below.

How to Cope With Self-Harm

Emotions can be really painful sometimes. It’s totally normal to need ways to cope with and process the hard things in your life. If you are using harming yourself to manage your emotions, we’re here for you. And, we want to help keep you safe.

Here are some ways to push through, process, and cope with your emotions.

• Text someone you trust or a counselor to help you cool down. If you’re dealing with painful emotions, we’re here to help. Send us a text to connect with a real human and strategize healthy coping mechanisms to manage your emotions. Text CONNECT to 741741 to  reach a real human.
• Get creative.  Did you know that  making art can help people process emotions? So, next time you’re feeling like harming yourself, grab your sharpie and doodle your worries away. A bonus: you can totally suck at it and still reap the same rewards.
• Meditate or breathe deeply. Keeping yourself safe from self-injury is all about finding healthy alternatives to work through the hard stuff. Researchers found taking time to re-center through meditation to be a powerful way to find your cool and calm. Try using an app like Headspace to get on the meditation bandwagon.
• Talk to a professional. Self-injury of any form is serious. And, while the intention behind self-injury usually is not death, it can still be dangerous—both physically and emotionally. Talking to someone who can help you find alternatives is incredibly important. Of course, you can start by texting us. Also, consider telling someone you know who can help you connect with a professional.

Why Do People Self-Harm?

Let’s start with this: everyone needs a way to cope with their emotions. People who have turned to hurting themselves as their coping mechanism to manage their emotions.

So, people might self-harm to:

• Process difficult emotions
• Distract themselves from their negative feelings
• Feel something physical, particularly if they are feeling numb
• Develop a sense of control over their lives
• Punish themselves for perceived faults
• Express emotions that they are unable to share

Effects of Self-Harm

Self-harm can be seriously dangerous—physically, emotionally, socially, all of it.

Physical Effects of Self-Harm

• Permanent scars
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Risk of infection or severe injury

Emotional Effects of Self-Harm

• Guilt, shame, or emotional numbness
• A diminished sense of self, including feeling helpless or worthless
• Addiction to the behavior

Social Effects of Self-Harm

• Avoiding friends and loved ones
• Becoming ostracized from loved ones who may not understand
• Interpersonal difficulty from lying to others about injuries

Recovering from Self-Harm

A lot of people who self-harm do so because they are dealing with painful emotions. If this applies to you—we believe in you and recognize your pain. Because painful emotions are at the root of it, quite often recovering involves addressing emotions.

Breaking away from the cycle of harming yourself can feel like a huge climb. It involves breaking a habit that has once brought comfort from pain. But, it is not impossible. Here are some steps to set you up for success:

• Understand your triggers. Name your reason for hurting yourself and your reason for quitting. Ask yourself: “What do I feel before, during, and after self-injury? Which of those emotions do I actively seek out, and which are harmful?”
• Replace harmful behaviors. For example, if you harm yourself for the physical sensation, seek other ways of releasing endorphins, like exercise. For real, try throwing a few punches at a kickboxing class or tapping it back in a spin class with the *perfect* playlist. If you SH to express your emotions, practice expressing them in words by writing them down. Grab a pen and your favorite notebook, or start typing away in your notes app.
• Address underlying emotions. Explore the feelings that lead you to want to hurt yourself. If it’s guilt, where is that guilt coming from? Maybe try finding a therapist—there are pros trained specifically to help with this.
• Build a support system. Let a friend, family member, or trusted adult know what you’re going through and that you need their support. Opening up to people can be easier said than done. Here’s a place to start: “I’m having a hard time processing some painful emotions and I could use your support right now.”

Getting healthy—both in your brain and in your body—takes hard work. You got this. And, we believe in you.

Text a Crisis Counselor at 741471 or use the mobile click to text button below.  Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 and confidential. You’re not alone.

Increasing Outreach to Teens

​Teens are more connected than ever ​before and the Boys Town National Hotline^® at 800-448-3000 is right there with them.

In addition to calling, teens can now text VOICE to 20121 or email [email protected] any day, any time to speak with a trained counselor.

Online resources are also available at yourlifeyourvoice.org.

Death2Life.Com

A REFUGE FOR THE SUICIDAL

Let’s Chat – 24/7 Help and Hope

TEXT D2L @ 9167

LiveChat

Messenger

ABOUT

Death2life was founded in 2009 by Mario and Kerry D’Ortenzio. Born out of their own painful season of suffering, they envisioned a refuge where people who found themselves in a dark place could find a care, counsel, and hope.

After their fourth daughter was diagnosed with a life-limiting syndrome and severe disabilities, they both experienced a sadness they had never felt before. Up until that point in their lives, they had been able to fix whatever was wrong with hard work or some sort of finagling. But this could not be fixed, and the future looked scary and dark. God felt very distant. And people felt distant.

Out of that pain and loneliness, Death2life was born. They found hope and healing during that very dark night and wanted to share it with others who found themselves in that place. They wanted to make sure no one had to suffer alone. They wanted to connect suicidal people with a Christ-connected person who could relate and who would gently walk them through tough days.

That initial vision led to partnerships with many faith-based and secular organizations, including Google, which recognized the need to intercept site users looking for ways to die. We now have hundreds of loving conversations daily to provide a space for honest, caring conversations and an introduction to a God who sees them.

D2L is a Refuge for the Suicidal.
We offer free resources 24/7.
Since 2009, Death2Life has reached over 4 Million Hopeless
and Suicidal in over 100 countries with hope and healing.

CRISIS TEXT LINE

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

Crisis Text Line serves anyone facing mental health challenges, providing access to free, 24/7, confidential support through communication channels people know and trust.

How to Cope with Self Harm

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

We all need healthy ways to cope with the hard stuff. We’re here to help you find a healthy alternative to self-harm.

Understanding Self-Harm

For some people, when depression and anxiety lead to a tornado of emotions, they turn to self-harm looking for a release. Self-harm and self-injury are any forms of hurting oneself to cope. Sometimes, when people self-harm, they do not do so as a suicide attempt. Rather, they inflict pain as a way to release painful emotions.

Common Types of Self-Harm

Self-harm can manifest differently for everyone. And, the ways people may inflict harm upon themselves extend far beyond the usual news media references such as cutting. Simply, self-harm is anything and everything someone can do to purposely hurt their body.

Here are some of the most common types of self-injury:

• Cutting
• Scratching
• Burning
• Carving words or symbols into the skin
• Hitting or punching oneself (including banging one’s head or other body parts against another surface)
• Piercing the skin with sharp objects such as hairpins
• Pulling out hair
• Picking at existing wounds

Recognizing the Signs of Self-Harm

Stigma creates shame and embarrassment, making it hard for people who self harm to get help. So, look out for yourself and for your pals. If you suspect that someone in your life is doing it, here are some warning signs to keep top of mind:

• Scars
• Fresh cuts, burns, scratches, or bruises
• Rubbing an area excessively to create a burn
• Having sharp objects on hand
• Wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather
• Difficulties with interpersonal relationships
• Persistent questions about personal identity
• Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsiveness, or unpredictability
• Saying that they feel helpless, hopeless, or worthless

Crisis Text Line can help you deal with self-injury. Text a Crisis Counselor at 741741, or use the mobile text button below.

How to Cope With Self-Harm

Emotions can be really painful sometimes. It’s totally normal to need ways to cope with and process the hard things in your life. If you are using harming yourself to manage your emotions, we’re here for you. And, we want to help keep you safe.

Here are some ways to push through, process, and cope with your emotions.

• Text someone you trust or a counselor to help you cool down. If you’re dealing with painful emotions, we’re here to help. Send us a text to connect with a real human and strategize healthy coping mechanisms to manage your emotions. Text CONNECT to 741741 to  reach a real human.
• Get creative.  Did you know that  making art can help people process emotions? So, next time you’re feeling like harming yourself, grab your sharpie and doodle your worries away. A bonus: you can totally suck at it and still reap the same rewards.
• Meditate or breathe deeply. Keeping yourself safe from self-injury is all about finding healthy alternatives to work through the hard stuff. Researchers found taking time to re-center through meditation to be a powerful way to find your cool and calm. Try using an app like Headspace to get on the meditation bandwagon.
• Talk to a professional. Self-injury of any form is serious. And, while the intention behind self-injury usually is not death, it can still be dangerous—both physically and emotionally. Talking to someone who can help you find alternatives is incredibly important. Of course, you can start by texting us. Also, consider telling someone you know who can help you connect with a professional.

Why Do People Self-Harm?

Let’s start with this: everyone needs a way to cope with their emotions. People who have turned to hurting themselves as their coping mechanism to manage their emotions.

So, people might self-harm to:

• Process difficult emotions
• Distract themselves from their negative feelings
• Feel something physical, particularly if they are feeling numb
• Develop a sense of control over their lives
• Punish themselves for perceived faults
• Express emotions that they are unable to share

Effects of Self-Harm

Self-harm can be seriously dangerous—physically, emotionally, socially, all of it.

Physical Effects of Self-Harm

• Permanent scars
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Risk of infection or severe injury

Emotional Effects of Self-Harm

• Guilt, shame, or emotional numbness
• A diminished sense of self, including feeling helpless or worthless
• Addiction to the behavior

Social Effects of Self-Harm

• Avoiding friends and loved ones
• Becoming ostracized from loved ones who may not understand
• Interpersonal difficulty from lying to others about injuries

Recovering from Self-Harm

A lot of people who self-harm do so because they are dealing with painful emotions. If this applies to you—we believe in you and recognize your pain. Because painful emotions are at the root of it, quite often recovering involves addressing emotions.

Breaking away from the cycle of harming yourself can feel like a huge climb. It involves breaking a habit that has once brought comfort from pain. But, it is not impossible. Here are some steps to set you up for success:

• Understand your triggers. Name your reason for hurting yourself and your reason for quitting. Ask yourself: “What do I feel before, during, and after self-injury? Which of those emotions do I actively seek out, and which are harmful?”
• Replace harmful behaviors. For example, if you harm yourself for the physical sensation, seek other ways of releasing endorphins, like exercise. For real, try throwing a few punches at a kickboxing class or tapping it back in a spin class with the *perfect* playlist. If you SH to express your emotions, practice expressing them in words by writing them down. Grab a pen and your favorite notebook, or start typing away in your notes app.
• Address underlying emotions. Explore the feelings that lead you to want to hurt yourself. If it’s guilt, where is that guilt coming from? Maybe try finding a therapist—there are pros trained specifically to help with this.
• Build a support system. Let a friend, family member, or trusted adult know what you’re going through and that you need their support. Opening up to people can be easier said than done. Here’s a place to start: “I’m having a hard time processing some painful emotions and I could use your support right now.”

Getting healthy—both in your brain and in your body—takes hard work. You got this. And, we believe in you.

Text a Crisis Counselor at 741471 or use the mobile click to text button below.  Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 and confidential. You’re not alone.

Increasing Outreach to Teens

​Teens are more connected than ever ​before and the Boys Town National Hotline^® at 800-448-3000 is right there with them.

In addition to calling, teens can now text VOICE to 20121 or email [email protected] any day, any time to speak with a trained counselor.

Online resources are also available at yourlifeyourvoice.org.

Death2Life.Com

A REFUGE FOR THE SUICIDAL

Let’s Chat – 24/7 Help and Hope

TEXT D2L @ 9167

LiveChat

Messenger

ABOUT

Death2life was founded in 2009 by Mario and Kerry D’Ortenzio. Born out of their own painful season of suffering, they envisioned a refuge where people who found themselves in a dark place could find a care, counsel, and hope.

After their fourth daughter was diagnosed with a life-limiting syndrome and severe disabilities, they both experienced a sadness they had never felt before. Up until that point in their lives, they had been able to fix whatever was wrong with hard work or some sort of finagling. But this could not be fixed, and the future looked scary and dark. God felt very distant. And people felt distant.

Out of that pain and loneliness, Death2life was born. They found hope and healing during that very dark night and wanted to share it with others who found themselves in that place. They wanted to make sure no one had to suffer alone. They wanted to connect suicidal people with a Christ-connected person who could relate and who would gently walk them through tough days.

That initial vision led to partnerships with many faith-based and secular organizations, including Google, which recognized the need to intercept site users looking for ways to die. We now have hundreds of loving conversations daily to provide a space for honest, caring conversations and an introduction to a God who sees them.

D2L is a Refuge for the Suicidal.
We offer free resources 24/7.
Since 2009, Death2Life has reached over 4 Million Hopeless
and Suicidal in over 100 countries with hope and healing.

CRISIS TEXT LINE

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

Crisis Text Line serves anyone facing mental health challenges, providing access to free, 24/7, confidential support through communication channels people know and trust.

How to Cope with Self Harm

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

We all need healthy ways to cope with the hard stuff. We’re here to help you find a healthy alternative to self-harm.

Understanding Self-Harm

For some people, when depression and anxiety lead to a tornado of emotions, they turn to self-harm looking for a release. Self-harm and self-injury are any forms of hurting oneself to cope. Sometimes, when people self-harm, they do not do so as a suicide attempt. Rather, they inflict pain as a way to release painful emotions.

Common Types of Self-Harm

Self-harm can manifest differently for everyone. And, the ways people may inflict harm upon themselves extend far beyond the usual news media references such as cutting. Simply, self-harm is anything and everything someone can do to purposely hurt their body.

Here are some of the most common types of self-injury:

• Cutting
• Scratching
• Burning
• Carving words or symbols into the skin
• Hitting or punching oneself (including banging one’s head or other body parts against another surface)
• Piercing the skin with sharp objects such as hairpins
• Pulling out hair
• Picking at existing wounds

Recognizing the Signs of Self-Harm

Stigma creates shame and embarrassment, making it hard for people who self harm to get help. So, look out for yourself and for your pals. If you suspect that someone in your life is doing it, here are some warning signs to keep top of mind:

• Scars
• Fresh cuts, burns, scratches, or bruises
• Rubbing an area excessively to create a burn
• Having sharp objects on hand
• Wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather
• Difficulties with interpersonal relationships
• Persistent questions about personal identity
• Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsiveness, or unpredictability
• Saying that they feel helpless, hopeless, or worthless

Crisis Text Line can help you deal with self-injury. Text a Crisis Counselor at 741741, or use the mobile text button below.

How to Cope With Self-Harm

Emotions can be really painful sometimes. It’s totally normal to need ways to cope with and process the hard things in your life. If you are using harming yourself to manage your emotions, we’re here for you. And, we want to help keep you safe.

Here are some ways to push through, process, and cope with your emotions.

• Text someone you trust or a counselor to help you cool down. If you’re dealing with painful emotions, we’re here to help. Send us a text to connect with a real human and strategize healthy coping mechanisms to manage your emotions. Text CONNECT to 741741 to  reach a real human.
• Get creative.  Did you know that  making art can help people process emotions? So, next time you’re feeling like harming yourself, grab your sharpie and doodle your worries away. A bonus: you can totally suck at it and still reap the same rewards.
• Meditate or breathe deeply. Keeping yourself safe from self-injury is all about finding healthy alternatives to work through the hard stuff. Researchers found taking time to re-center through meditation to be a powerful way to find your cool and calm. Try using an app like Headspace to get on the meditation bandwagon.
• Talk to a professional. Self-injury of any form is serious. And, while the intention behind self-injury usually is not death, it can still be dangerous—both physically and emotionally. Talking to someone who can help you find alternatives is incredibly important. Of course, you can start by texting us. Also, consider telling someone you know who can help you connect with a professional.

Why Do People Self-Harm?

Let’s start with this: everyone needs a way to cope with their emotions. People who have turned to hurting themselves as their coping mechanism to manage their emotions.

So, people might self-harm to:

• Process difficult emotions
• Distract themselves from their negative feelings
• Feel something physical, particularly if they are feeling numb
• Develop a sense of control over their lives
• Punish themselves for perceived faults
• Express emotions that they are unable to share

Effects of Self-Harm

Self-harm can be seriously dangerous—physically, emotionally, socially, all of it.

Physical Effects of Self-Harm

• Permanent scars
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Risk of infection or severe injury

Emotional Effects of Self-Harm

• Guilt, shame, or emotional numbness
• A diminished sense of self, including feeling helpless or worthless
• Addiction to the behavior

Social Effects of Self-Harm

• Avoiding friends and loved ones
• Becoming ostracized from loved ones who may not understand
• Interpersonal difficulty from lying to others about injuries

Recovering from Self-Harm

A lot of people who self-harm do so because they are dealing with painful emotions. If this applies to you—we believe in you and recognize your pain. Because painful emotions are at the root of it, quite often recovering involves addressing emotions.

Breaking away from the cycle of harming yourself can feel like a huge climb. It involves breaking a habit that has once brought comfort from pain. But, it is not impossible. Here are some steps to set you up for success:

• Understand your triggers. Name your reason for hurting yourself and your reason for quitting. Ask yourself: “What do I feel before, during, and after self-injury? Which of those emotions do I actively seek out, and which are harmful?”
• Replace harmful behaviors. For example, if you harm yourself for the physical sensation, seek other ways of releasing endorphins, like exercise. For real, try throwing a few punches at a kickboxing class or tapping it back in a spin class with the *perfect* playlist. If you SH to express your emotions, practice expressing them in words by writing them down. Grab a pen and your favorite notebook, or start typing away in your notes app.
• Address underlying emotions. Explore the feelings that lead you to want to hurt yourself. If it’s guilt, where is that guilt coming from? Maybe try finding a therapist—there are pros trained specifically to help with this.
• Build a support system. Let a friend, family member, or trusted adult know what you’re going through and that you need their support. Opening up to people can be easier said than done. Here’s a place to start: “I’m having a hard time processing some painful emotions and I could use your support right now.”

Getting healthy—both in your brain and in your body—takes hard work. You got this. And, we believe in you.

Text a Crisis Counselor at 741471 or use the mobile click to text button below.  Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 and confidential. You’re not alone.

Increasing Outreach to Teens

​Teens are more connected than ever ​before and the Boys Town National Hotline^® at 800-448-3000 is right there with them.

In addition to calling, teens can now text VOICE to 20121 or email [email protected] any day, any time to speak with a trained counselor.

Online resources are also available at yourlifeyourvoice.org.

Death2Life.Com

A REFUGE FOR THE SUICIDAL

Let’s Chat – 24/7 Help and Hope

TEXT D2L @ 9167

LiveChat

Messenger

ABOUT

Death2life was founded in 2009 by Mario and Kerry D’Ortenzio. Born out of their own painful season of suffering, they envisioned a refuge where people who found themselves in a dark place could find a care, counsel, and hope.

After their fourth daughter was diagnosed with a life-limiting syndrome and severe disabilities, they both experienced a sadness they had never felt before. Up until that point in their lives, they had been able to fix whatever was wrong with hard work or some sort of finagling. But this could not be fixed, and the future looked scary and dark. God felt very distant. And people felt distant.

Out of that pain and loneliness, Death2life was born. They found hope and healing during that very dark night and wanted to share it with others who found themselves in that place. They wanted to make sure no one had to suffer alone. They wanted to connect suicidal people with a Christ-connected person who could relate and who would gently walk them through tough days.

That initial vision led to partnerships with many faith-based and secular organizations, including Google, which recognized the need to intercept site users looking for ways to die. We now have hundreds of loving conversations daily to provide a space for honest, caring conversations and an introduction to a God who sees them.

D2L is a Refuge for the Suicidal.
We offer free resources 24/7.
Since 2009, Death2Life has reached over 4 Million Hopeless
and Suicidal in over 100 countries with hope and healing.

CRISIS TEXT LINE

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

Crisis Text Line serves anyone facing mental health challenges, providing access to free, 24/7, confidential support through communication channels people know and trust.

How to Cope with Self Harm

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

We all need healthy ways to cope with the hard stuff. We’re here to help you find a healthy alternative to self-harm.

Understanding Self-Harm

For some people, when depression and anxiety lead to a tornado of emotions, they turn to self-harm looking for a release. Self-harm and self-injury are any forms of hurting oneself to cope. Sometimes, when people self-harm, they do not do so as a suicide attempt. Rather, they inflict pain as a way to release painful emotions.

Common Types of Self-Harm

Self-harm can manifest differently for everyone. And, the ways people may inflict harm upon themselves extend far beyond the usual news media references such as cutting. Simply, self-harm is anything and everything someone can do to purposely hurt their body.

Here are some of the most common types of self-injury:

• Cutting
• Scratching
• Burning
• Carving words or symbols into the skin
• Hitting or punching oneself (including banging one’s head or other body parts against another surface)
• Piercing the skin with sharp objects such as hairpins
• Pulling out hair
• Picking at existing wounds

Recognizing the Signs of Self-Harm

Stigma creates shame and embarrassment, making it hard for people who self harm to get help. So, look out for yourself and for your pals. If you suspect that someone in your life is doing it, here are some warning signs to keep top of mind:

• Scars
• Fresh cuts, burns, scratches, or bruises
• Rubbing an area excessively to create a burn
• Having sharp objects on hand
• Wearing long sleeves or long pants, even in hot weather
• Difficulties with interpersonal relationships
• Persistent questions about personal identity
• Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsiveness, or unpredictability
• Saying that they feel helpless, hopeless, or worthless

Crisis Text Line can help you deal with self-injury. Text a Crisis Counselor at 741741, or use the mobile text button below.

How to Cope With Self-Harm

Emotions can be really painful sometimes. It’s totally normal to need ways to cope with and process the hard things in your life. If you are using harming yourself to manage your emotions, we’re here for you. And, we want to help keep you safe.

Here are some ways to push through, process, and cope with your emotions.

• Text someone you trust or a counselor to help you cool down. If you’re dealing with painful emotions, we’re here to help. Send us a text to connect with a real human and strategize healthy coping mechanisms to manage your emotions. Text CONNECT to 741741 to  reach a real human.
• Get creative.  Did you know that  making art can help people process emotions? So, next time you’re feeling like harming yourself, grab your sharpie and doodle your worries away. A bonus: you can totally suck at it and still reap the same rewards.
• Meditate or breathe deeply. Keeping yourself safe from self-injury is all about finding healthy alternatives to work through the hard stuff. Researchers found taking time to re-center through meditation to be a powerful way to find your cool and calm. Try using an app like Headspace to get on the meditation bandwagon.
• Talk to a professional. Self-injury of any form is serious. And, while the intention behind self-injury usually is not death, it can still be dangerous—both physically and emotionally. Talking to someone who can help you find alternatives is incredibly important. Of course, you can start by texting us. Also, consider telling someone you know who can help you connect with a professional.

Why Do People Self-Harm?

Let’s start with this: everyone needs a way to cope with their emotions. People who have turned to hurting themselves as their coping mechanism to manage their emotions.

So, people might self-harm to:

• Process difficult emotions
• Distract themselves from their negative feelings
• Feel something physical, particularly if they are feeling numb
• Develop a sense of control over their lives
• Punish themselves for perceived faults
• Express emotions that they are unable to share

Effects of Self-Harm

Self-harm can be seriously dangerous—physically, emotionally, socially, all of it.

Physical Effects of Self-Harm

• Permanent scars
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Risk of infection or severe injury

Emotional Effects of Self-Harm

• Guilt, shame, or emotional numbness
• A diminished sense of self, including feeling helpless or worthless
• Addiction to the behavior

Social Effects of Self-Harm

• Avoiding friends and loved ones
• Becoming ostracized from loved ones who may not understand
• Interpersonal difficulty from lying to others about injuries

Recovering from Self-Harm

A lot of people who self-harm do so because they are dealing with painful emotions. If this applies to you—we believe in you and recognize your pain. Because painful emotions are at the root of it, quite often recovering involves addressing emotions.

Breaking away from the cycle of harming yourself can feel like a huge climb. It involves breaking a habit that has once brought comfort from pain. But, it is not impossible. Here are some steps to set you up for success:

• Understand your triggers. Name your reason for hurting yourself and your reason for quitting. Ask yourself: “What do I feel before, during, and after self-injury? Which of those emotions do I actively seek out, and which are harmful?”
• Replace harmful behaviors. For example, if you harm yourself for the physical sensation, seek other ways of releasing endorphins, like exercise. For real, try throwing a few punches at a kickboxing class or tapping it back in a spin class with the *perfect* playlist. If you SH to express your emotions, practice expressing them in words by writing them down. Grab a pen and your favorite notebook, or start typing away in your notes app.
• Address underlying emotions. Explore the feelings that lead you to want to hurt yourself. If it’s guilt, where is that guilt coming from? Maybe try finding a therapist—there are pros trained specifically to help with this.
• Build a support system. Let a friend, family member, or trusted adult know what you’re going through and that you need their support. Opening up to people can be easier said than done. Here’s a place to start: “I’m having a hard time processing some painful emotions and I could use your support right now.”

Getting healthy—both in your brain and in your body—takes hard work. You got this. And, we believe in you.

Text a Crisis Counselor at 741471 or use the mobile click to text button below.  Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 and confidential. You’re not alone.

Increasing Outreach to Teens

​Teens are more connected than ever ​before and the Boys Town National Hotline^® at 800-448-3000 is right there with them.

In addition to calling, teens can now text VOICE to 20121 or email [email protected] any day, any time to speak with a trained counselor.

Online resources are also available at yourlifeyourvoice.org.

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A REFUGE FOR THE SUICIDAL

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ABOUT

Death2life was founded in 2009 by Mario and Kerry D’Ortenzio. Born out of their own painful season of suffering, they envisioned a refuge where people who found themselves in a dark place could find a care, counsel, and hope.

After their fourth daughter was diagnosed with a life-limiting syndrome and severe disabilities, they both experienced a sadness they had never felt before. Up until that point in their lives, they had been able to fix whatever was wrong with hard work or some sort of finagling. But this could not be fixed, and the future looked scary and dark. God felt very distant. And people felt distant.

Out of that pain and loneliness, Death2life was born. They found hope and healing during that very dark night and wanted to share it with others who found themselves in that place. They wanted to make sure no one had to suffer alone. They wanted to connect suicidal people with a Christ-connected person who could relate and who would gently walk them through tough days.

That initial vision led to partnerships with many faith-based and secular organizations, including Google, which recognized the need to intercept site users looking for ways to die. We now have hundreds of loving conversations daily to provide a space for honest, caring conversations and an introduction to a God who sees them.

D2L is a Refuge for the Suicidal.
We offer free resources 24/7.
Since 2009, Death2Life has reached over 4 Million Hopeless
and Suicidal in over 100 countries with hope and healing.

CRISIS TEXT LINE

Text Connect to 741741 for free confidential Support

Crisis Text Line serves anyone facing mental health challenges, providing access to free, 24/7, confidential support through communication channels people know and trust.