Self-harm and DBT (how to support yourself right now)

It’s 2023, and although we are making strides toward destigmatizing mental health challenges, the topic of self-harm can still be taboo for some. Self-harm is often a secretive form of coping with intense emotions such as saddness, anger, frustration, loneliness and more. The goal of this blog is to bring awareness and normalize self-harm as well as provide immediate strategies to help yourself if you currently are struggling with it.

What is Considered Self-Harm?

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) describes self-harm as the act of hurting yourself intentionally. Self-harming behaviors are a coping mechanism many teenagers, young people, and adults develop to manage intense emotions. Many people who self-harm learned to repress their emotions and self-harming acts as a way to release them. Although self-harm creates a short-lived sense of calm, w  it also comes shame and guilt, which can lead to more self-harm, creating a vicious cycle. Examples of ways people may self-harm are cutting, burning, picking wounds or scabs, head banging and pulling out hair.

How DBT Can Help

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is commonly used in psychotherapy to support in managing intense emotions and minimizing self-harm. The goal of DBT is to provide positive coping mechanisms for when intense emotions surface and create healthy emotional regulation. Although DBT is most effective when conducted with a trained professional, there are a few skills you can apply immediately to help bring down intense emotions that lead to self-harm.

Support Yourself Now

If you find yourself in a situation where you are feeling the urge to self-harm and are unable to seek professional help at this time, trying one of these options might help:

1. Crisis hotline 9-8-8 – self-harm is almost always accompanied by intense emotions. The crisis hotline can be a place to talk about your feelings and get immediate support.
2. Change your body temperature – splash cold water on your face or take a warm bath.
3. Distract yourself- watch your favorite comedy, engage in intense exercise for 20 min or hold an ice cub in your hand and feel it melt
4. Practice mindfulness- observe your emotions and try not to change them. Remind yourself that you are in control and that they will pass.

How Therapy Can Help

Although the techniques above can provide new ways of coping with intense feelings that lead to self-harm, talking with a therapist allows space to address the underlying issues and paves the way toward healing. Many therapists at Better Life Therpay are trained in DBT and ready to help.

References

Linehan, M. M.(2015) DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.

https://www.crisistextline.org/topics/self-harm/#what-is-self-harm-1

https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Common-with-Mental-Illness/Self-harm