This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011. This article has been viewed 370,637 times.

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You may think that self-harm can help you feel better, but in the end, it’s dangerous and can actually make you feel worse. Remember, no matter what you’re dealing with, you don’t deserve to be hurt and you always have the choice not to cut! When you feel like you want to self-harm, surround yourself with people, whether that means hanging out with your family or going to a public park, so you can resist the urge. Alternatively, you can call someone you trust or a crisis hotline so they can talk you through the situation. To make it easier to stop self-harming, get rid of any tools you might use by throwing them away or giving them to someone else so they’re gone for good. If you’re thinking about suicide, you should get help immediately by calling 911 or a suicide hotline. For more advice from our Counseling co-author, including how to practice positive self-talk to avoid having negative thoughts, keep reading!