Getting to the Heart of Hurt: Understanding Self-harm

Is self-harm a suicide attempt? What’s behind the growing increase in teenagers and adults who self-harm? What can be done to help someone who self-harms? The act of self-harming is often alarming and it can be difficult to comprehend why people chose to do this to themselves. By trying to understand what self-harm is and why it is chosen as coping strategy, family members and carers can have the confidence and courage to be an invaluable support during what can be an extremely stressful time for everyone involved. This book will demonstrate why it is so important for those who self-harm to be able to form a reliable, trusting relationship with another person, in order to begin a journey of self-awareness and self-acceptance. It is the author’s hope that by sharing the understanding she gained from making such a journey herself, readers will gain the courage to begin their own. By challenging common misconceptions about self-harm and advocating a framework for intervention which is respectful and compassionate, Careful Cutting will be indispensable for parents, teachers, community workers, social workers, health workers and anyone who cares for an individual who self-harms.