Self Injury Awareness Day 2004 March 1st

Information for Health Care Workers, Family, Friends and Teachers of People Who Harm Themselves

Foreword by Dr. Neil Burley
By Dr Neil Burley, MB ChB, Psychiatrist

As a person, I am well aware of stigma, prejudice, stereotyping, media sensationalism, miscommunication and misunderstandings. As a psychiatrist, I am well aware of how these things cause mental health issues to become taboo subjects — something that is gradually changing for the better.

This booklet tackles all the above — broaching arguably the last taboo subject in mental health and wellbeing, that of deliberate self-injury. This is, in my opinion, an unnecessarily hidden condition, misunderstood by those unfamiliar with it, condemned by some dealing with the aftermath and inappropriately medicalised by others.

At the heart of self-injury is a hurting individual. This booklet gives that individual some guidance on minimising risks to themselves, useful advice about managing their lifestyle, where to seek help and how to start breaking the stigma associated with this way of coping with stresses in their lives. This booklet does not promote or glorify self-injury, but offers hope and a way through for those that would wish to cope in new and different ways.

My association with LifeSIGNS began when I looked for someone to educate medical students about self-injury to start changing the culture that surrounds self-injury, and those that self-injure, in medicine. My hope is that their booklet and the launch of the Self-Injury Awareness Day will be the start points for changing society's perception and acceptance of self-injury and self-injurers for the better.

February 2004

Introduction

Self Injury Awareness Day is the 1st of March, it is a point of focus for organisations and communities that come across self injury, and it's a date that can be used to raise awareness in the media.

The SIA Booklet

This booklet has been produced in the hope that you will make use of the information, refer to it as a handy resource, use it to raise awareness of self injury, and we hope it will help you while you support people effected by self injury. It is possible that you will be the first person that someone who self injures turns to; your reaction to their self injury could be of vital importance. With compassion, patience and warmth, you may have a great influence on someone's life.

This pack is free for you to copy and re-distribute, providing that the contents are unedited and attributed to LifeSIGNS at www.lifesigns.ukf.net

SI — Self Injury

Self Injury is recognised by many people in the health care professions, and in caring professions generally, but there is a significant lack of understanding still; the media often misrepresents self injury. People who self injure often feel trapped and alone with their self injury, afraid to ask for support for fear of being seen as crazy.

Self injury is a coping mechanism. An individual harms their physical self to deal with emotional pain, or to break feelings of numbness by arousing sensation.

We would like to thank you for giving this information your attention, and if there is ever anything further we can provide you, please email us without hesitation.

On behalf of the LifeSIGNS Directors

LifeSIGNS
Self Injury Guidance & Network Support

www.lifesigns.ukf.net
lifesigns@selfharm.org

About the Author

www.lifesigns.org.uk
LifeSIGNS (Self Injury Guidance & Network Support) is an Unincorporated Voluntary Organisation. That means that we are an organisation, run by directors who volunteer their time, and are responsible for their own individual actions.