#HarmLESS Help Fast!

There are lots of reasons why young people might self-harm. The need to hurt yourself usually comes from emotions that are very difficult to cope with.

Young people might self-harm because it's a way of releasing tension or controlling something. It’s a physical pain that you can deal with, rather than an emotional feeling that you might find hard to cope with.

Self-harm can also be used as a form of self-punishment for something you feel bad about.

Feeling alone, angry, experiencing low self-esteem and not feeling good enough can also lead to self-harming.

The reasons for self-harming can be very personal so it's okay if you don't know why you self-harm. Whatever you are going through, ChildLine can help.

You don’t have to deal with things on your own and there are other ways of expressing your emotions. Check our some self-harming coping techniques by clicking HERE.

But if you want to talk to somebody now, click HERE

To go straight to an online chat with a counsellor from ChildLine.

Alternatively, if you want to talk to other people who may be going through the same thing as you, you can click HERE To go to the ChildLine message boards.

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Other sites that can help-----------------------------

Self-harm help page with advice and coping techniques. YoungMinds

Real life stories, advice and support about self-harm. TheSite.org

Support for young people affected by self-harm. Selfharm.co.uk

Support and information about self-harm from MIND, the mental health charity. <a class="article-body-link" href="http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/self-harm/ "MIND"">MIND