Today we are thrilled to share a post from the Love is Louder blog!

Director of the Love is Louder project, Courtney Knowles, shares encouraging words and resources for those who self-harm:

Here’s the thing…all of us know what it feels like to hurt. We have times in our lives when we feel down, alone, not good enough, angry or anxious. Sometimes that pain comes from things happening around us, and sometimes it comes from the voices in our own heads. Finding a way to cope with those feelings isn’t always easy — and sometimes we find ways to feel better…that actually cause more pain. Like drinking too much, using unprescribed drugs and cutting or self-injury.

We’ve talked to and gotten messages from lots of people who cut or self-harm and we know it can be a hard habit to quit. It may even feel like it helps sometimes. But, in the long run, it causes more pain. If you’re cutting or hurting yourself and can’t seem to stop the pattern, you aren’t alone. Here is the good news — we also get messages every week from people who have been able to stop cutting and find better ways to cope. They tell us stories of feeling better, improving relationships with friends and family, and enjoying days when they don’t have to worry about hiding their habits.

Their first step is reaching out and talking to someone. It might be a friend or someone in your family. Maybe it’s a counselor at your school or your doctor. Maybe you’re afraid to speak up because you think people won’t understand or will be mad at you. You’ll probably be surprised how understanding people can be when you open up.

If you don’t have anyone you feel like you can talk to about what’s going in, there are some resources below. You can text START to 741-741 for a free, confidential chat with a counselor. And if you need help immediately, you can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) 24/7 to talk to someone about what you’re going through.

Here are some other links that might help:

Learn more about self-injury on Half of Us.

Some information and resources on getting help from www.selfinjury.com.

Tips for coping with urges.

Stories, quotes and advice from people who have self-injured.

Read the original post and learn more about the Love is Louder project here!

Visit our resources for additional information on self-injury and recovery.