Cutting is a type of self-injury where someone uses sharp objects to cut themselves on their arms, legs, belly, and other parts of their body. Other common types of self-injury include burning, bruising, and scratching. Someone who self-injures usually doesn't do it as an attempt to end their life but as a response to intense emotions that may be hard to handle.

Remember, you are not alone. People who self-injure can break the habit, but it takes time, energy, and the support of a mental health provider (such as a psychologist or counselor), friends, and family.

• Get help from a therapist. Set up regular visits with a therapist or other behavioral health provider. The therapist can help you find healthy ways to deal with strong feelings. The therapist will also want to meet with other family members so they can understand how to support you. 
• Find ways to cope with the urge to self-injure. Think about what would help you relax and cope with the urge to self-injure. Write these down or put them on your phone in case you need a reminder. These might include things like:
  • listening to music, going for a walk, or cuddling with a pet
  • talking to friends and family
  • writing in a journal, or looking back in the journal to see what helped you to not self-injure in the past
• Use the 15-minute rule. When you have the urge to self-injure, the 15-minute rule can help the feeling pass. To do it:
  • Set a timer for 15 minutes.
  • For 15 minutes: Use the coping skills you wrote down or put in your phone. 
  • After 15 minutes: Talk to a friend or family member or write in your journal about how you feel. (Do you still feel like self-injuring? Is the urge less or even gone?)
• General coping. To help with overall mood and well-being, it can help to:
  • Eat a balanced diet.
  • Get 8–10 hours of sleep every night.
  • Get plenty of physical activity every day — walk, play a sport, or do anything that gets you moving.
  • Spend time outdoors in nature if possible.
  • Take time to relax.
  • Practice yoga or meditation.
  • Spend time with positive people who care about you. Avoid social media and people who encourage you to self-injure.
  • Keep a journal of good feelings you have or things you are grateful for. Reading the journal later can help remind you of the positives in your life.
• Be patient. It takes a while to break the habit of self-injury. If you self-injure again, talk to your therapist about what else you can do the next time you get the urge to self-injure.

You:

• talk and write a lot about suicide or death
• feel hopeless, sad, or very irritable
• don't enjoy the things you used to
• take unsafe risks (drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or driving too fast, for example)
• can't stop cutting or other forms of self-harm

• A cut or wound is big, deep, or bleeding a lot.
• The area around a cut or wound feels warm, looks swollen, is painful, or has red streaks.
• You are thinking about or planning to try to commit suicide (end your life). Tell a trusted adult right away.

You also can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

Why do some people self-injure? People who self-injure usually are under a lot of stress and struggle to handle it. They use the physical hurt of self-injury to distract themselves from emotional pain. This can create a brief feeling of relief. Once they start self-injuring, it can become a habit and be hard to stop.

You can learn more about cutting and self-injury and find support online at Self-Injury Outreach and Support (sioutreach.org).

How is self-injuring different from a suicide attempt? People who cut or do another type of self-injury usually don't want to die. They want to live, but with less emotional pain. But someone who self-injures can also have thoughts of suicide, so it's important to take self-injuring seriously.