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Self-Harm

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

How can I help myself in the future? 

There are a number of ways to help yourself in the long term. They include a deeper exploration of the reasons why you self-harm, to help you find alternatives. 

Accept your feelings 

If you have been shamed for your feelings, or learnt to shut them down for any other reason, it is very brave to start to face them once more. It can feel very frightening to allow yourself to experience difficult emotions again, and it is important to go very slowly. Perhaps include tools like mindfulness or keep a journal to support and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. 

  • Try some of the online tools, books and worksheets for understanding emotions 
  • Work alongside a therapist who you trust, to have a positive experience of your feelings being accepted and validated (see our pages on talking therapy and counselling). 
  • Try the mindfulness technique of noticing and naming feelings as you become aware of them. 

“I was able to start channelling my feelings into creativity. This gave me an outlet to build a better relationship with myself, and I was able to occupy my hands when feeling really bad until the urge to self-harm had subsided.” 

Build your self-esteem 

Learning to value yourself and perceive yourself positively makes a big difference to your experience in life. 

  • Practise speaking and thinking more kindly about yourself, in the same way as you would about a loved one. 
  • Replace repetitive mental urges to hurt yourself with empowered thoughts – for example, ‘Even though I feel like hurting myself, I am going to find another way to express how upset I feel.’ 
  • Regularly write down three things you appreciate about yourself, no matter how small. 
  • Learn to be assertive by expressing boundaries of what does and doesn’t feel right for you in your life. 
  • Take control of your decisions. Remind yourself that you have responsibility for the choices you make in life, and choose things that feel supportive and nourishing for you. 

See How to increase your self-esteem for more suggestions. 

Understand your self-harm in more detail 

Letting go of self-harm can feel like a really big decision that takes time to make. It can be very helpful to understand your relationship to it in more depth, so that you can put things in place to support the process. The more you understand about why you hurt yourself, and the function that self-harm has had for you, the better equipped you will be to make changes and put effective alternatives in place. 

The following questions can help you begin the process of understanding your self-harm: 

  • How do you feel before and after you hurt yourself? 
  • What was the reason you started to hurt yourself? 
  • What does self-harm give you now? 
  • What are the situations where you are most likely to want to hurt yourself? 
  • What are your fears about living without self-harm? 
  • What would you miss about self-harm? 
  • What else would be useful to understand about your self-harm? 

“I think the best way to stop self-harm is to focus on the underlying issues which trigger you to do it. If you work on these issues, then the self-harm will stop naturally.” 

Look after your general wellbeing 

Taking care of your health and wellbeing on all levels can help you feel a lot better about yourself. Whatever steps you choose to take, it’s important to be kind to yourself. Here are some suggestions that are known to be helpful: 

  • Doing regular physical activity can boost your mood and reduce stress. 
  • Eating regular meals with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables can also help with how you feel (see food and mood). 
  • Making sure you get enough sleep helps you feel better and more able to cope (see sleep problems). 
  • Doing something creative can help you express your feelings. For example, write a song, story or blog, paint, draw or use clay. 
  • Spending time doing things that you enjoy, such as seeing friends or going for a walk, is also important. Try to make time to do this every week, no matter what else is going on. 

Reach out for support 

Reaching out can feel hard, especially if you worry that people will judge you or you believe other people might not want to help you. Remind yourself that everyone needs support at different times, and that it is OK to ask for help. 

When you are ready to reach out, choose someone who you trust to talk to about how you are feeling. This could be a friend, family member, counsellor or health professional (see the Treatment and support section for more information). Remember that you are in control of what you say, and you don’t have to say anything that you’re not ready to share yet. 

You may also find it helpful to write a list of all the people, organisations and websites that you can go to for help when you are finding things difficult. This will remind you that you are not alone, and where you can get help. See Useful contacts for some suggestions. 

“Having a therapist who would never judge and remained constant and calm made a huge difference in me being able to open up.” 

There is no magic solution or quick fix for self-harm, and making changes can take time and involve periods of difficulty. It is common to make some progress and then get back into old behaviours again. If this happens to you, remind yourself that it’s not failing – it is simply part of the process.

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

How can I help myself in the future?

How can I help myself in the future? 

There are a number of ways to help yourself in the long term. They include a deeper exploration of the reasons why you self-harm, to help you find alternatives. 

Accept your feelings 

If you have been shamed for your feelings, or learnt to shut them down for any other reason, it is very brave to start to face them once more. It can feel very frightening to allow yourself to experience difficult emotions again, and it is important to go very slowly. Perhaps include tools like mindfulness or keep a journal to support and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. 

  • Try some of the online tools, books and worksheets for understanding emotions 
  • Work alongside a therapist who you trust, to have a positive experience of your feelings being accepted and validated (see our pages on talking therapy and counselling). 
  • Try the mindfulness technique of noticing and naming feelings as you become aware of them. 

“I was able to start channelling my feelings into creativity. This gave me an outlet to build a better relationship with myself, and I was able to occupy my hands when feeling really bad until the urge to self-harm had subsided.” 

Build your self-esteem 

Learning to value yourself and perceive yourself positively makes a big difference to your experience in life. 

  • Practise speaking and thinking more kindly about yourself, in the same way as you would about a loved one. 
  • Replace repetitive mental urges to hurt yourself with empowered thoughts – for example, 'Even though I feel like hurting myself, I am going to find another way to express how upset I feel.' 
  • Regularly write down three things you appreciate about yourself, no matter how small. 
  • Learn to be assertive by expressing boundaries of what does and doesn't feel right for you in your life. 
  • Take control of your decisions. Remind yourself that you have responsibility for the choices you make in life, and choose things that feel supportive and nourishing for you. 

See How to increase your self-esteem for more suggestions. 

Understand your self-harm in more detail 

Letting go of self-harm can feel like a really big decision that takes time to make. It can be very helpful to understand your relationship to it in more depth, so that you can put things in place to support the process. The more you understand about why you hurt yourself, and the function that self-harm has had for you, the better equipped you will be to make changes and put effective alternatives in place. 

The following questions can help you begin the process of understanding your self-harm: 

  • How do you feel before and after you hurt yourself? 
  • What was the reason you started to hurt yourself? 
  • What does self-harm give you now? 
  • What are the situations where you are most likely to want to hurt yourself? 
  • What are your fears about living without self-harm? 
  • What would you miss about self-harm? 
  • What else would be useful to understand about your self-harm? 

"I think the best way to stop self-harm is to focus on the underlying issues which trigger you to do it. If you work on these issues, then the self-harm will stop naturally." 

Look after your general wellbeing 

Taking care of your health and wellbeing on all levels can help you feel a lot better about yourself. Whatever steps you choose to take, it’s important to be kind to yourself. Here are some suggestions that are known to be helpful: 

  • Doing regular physical activity can boost your mood and reduce stress. 
  • Eating regular meals with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables can also help with how you feel (see food and mood). 
  • Making sure you get enough sleep helps you feel better and more able to cope (see sleep problems). 
  • Doing something creative can help you express your feelings. For example, write a song, story or blog, paint, draw or use clay. 
  • Spending time doing things that you enjoy, such as seeing friends or going for a walk, is also important. Try to make time to do this every week, no matter what else is going on. 

Reach out for support 

Reaching out can feel hard, especially if you worry that people will judge you or you believe other people might not want to help you. Remind yourself that everyone needs support at different times, and that it is OK to ask for help. 

When you are ready to reach out, choose someone who you trust to talk to about how you are feeling. This could be a friend, family member, counsellor or health professional (see the Treatment and support section for more information). Remember that you are in control of what you say, and you don't have to say anything that you're not ready to share yet. 

You may also find it helpful to write a list of all the people, organisations and websites that you can go to for help when you are finding things difficult. This will remind you that you are not alone, and where you can get help. See Useful contacts for some suggestions. 

"Having a therapist who would never judge and remained constant and calm made a huge difference in me being able to open up." 

There is no magic solution or quick fix for self-harm, and making changes can take time and involve periods of difficulty. It is common to make some progress and then get back into old behaviours again. If this happens to you, remind yourself that it's not failing – it is simply part of the process.