Our thoughts have a lot of control over our mood and our daily lives. How we talk to ourselves can drastically affect our feelings, how we interact with ourselves, our family, and friends. It can affect our behavior and ultimately our health. Negative self talk can cause depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. All of which can cause self harm behaviors.
What is Self Harm?
Self harm, typically, is when someone does something to hurt themselves deliberately without necessarily wanting to die. This can be hitting oneself, pulling out hair, cutting, taking drugs, overdosing medications, scratching or picking skin, etc.
What causes self harm?
There are many factors that may cause self harming behaviors. Depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are the top factors. It can also be due to a stressful event, traumatic event, traumatic childhood experiences, abusive relationships, and misuse of drugs and alcohol.
How does changing our inner voice help self harming behaviors?
Often times when anyone is practicing self harming behaviors they feel negatively about themselves or negatively about a situation. I’ve heard often too it can be due to such depression and sadness that they feel numb. The self harming behavior makes them feel something even if it is pain for a moment. With such negative self talk individuals often feel unworthy of care, love, unworthy of success and happiness.
They may not be suicidal but they’re angry at themselves and the world around them. There is often a controlling factor. Just like many other mental illnesses. When you feel you cannot control so much around you, you find a way to control what you can, like the pain you feel.
Change your thoughts.
Ask yourself questions.
- How rational are my thoughts?
- Why am I self harming?
- Does that reason rationally make sense?
- Are my thoughts reasonable?
- What are my strengths?
- How can I build on those strengths?
- How can I grow my confidence?
Challenge the negative thoughts.
Do not give in when a negative thought crosses your mind. Challenge it.
Focus on Your Feelings
Express what you’re feeling. Whether it is to someone else or writing it down. Feel your emotions and acknowledge your feelings.
Find New Coping Techniques
- Paint
- Journal
- Write
- Listen to Music
- Take a Bath
- Exercise
Sarah
31 Days to a Positive Inner Voice
Subscribe Here…. Don’t Miss a Post!
