Self-injury is the act of deliberately causing harm to one’s own body without suicidal intent and not for body modification purposes. Studies show that self-injury affects ~14-20% of teenagers across the gender spectrum. Let’s learn more about self-injury so you know what to look for if you or a friend is affected by it, how to respond, and how to help.
Earners will learn the basics on and resources for self-injury, explore stories of those with lived experience of self-injury, consider alternative coping strategies. Complete the following activities for a total of 50 points to receive this badge. This badge should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
NOTE: This content explores themes around self-injury and suicide. Proceed with care.
If you’re hurting, afraid, or need someone to talk to, please reach out to one of the resources below. Someone will reach back. You are so deeply valued, so incomprehensibly loved—even when you can’t feel it—and you are worth your life.
You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, Headquarters Counseling Center at 785-841-2345, the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860, or The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.
If you don’t like talking on the phone, you can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741. If you’d like to talk to a peer, warmline.org contains links to warmlines in every state.
** Many of these resources could utilize restrictive interventions, like active rescues (wellness or welfare checks) involving law enforcement or emergency services. A warmline is least likely to do this, but still might have these policies. You can ask if this is a possibility at any point in your conversation if this is a concern for you.
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