{"id":72964,"date":"2022-06-02T17:12:02","date_gmt":"2022-06-02T21:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/screening.mhanational.org\/?post_type=article&p=72964"},"modified":"2023-02-16T15:44:59","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T20:44:59","slug":"how-can-i-help-someone-who-is-self-harming","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/screening.mhanational.org\/es\/content\/how-can-i-help-someone-who-is-self-harming\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00bfC\u00f3mo puedo ayudar a alguien que se autolesiona?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When someone\u2014a friend, a family member, or a loved one\u2014is self-harming<\/a>, we\u2019re scared for them. All we want is their safety. It hurts us to see them hurt. And we want nothing more than to save them. We just want them to stop self-harming.<\/p>\n

But one of the hard truths we must accept about helping someone who is self-harming is that we can\u2019t make them stop\u2014only they can do that. While we can\u2019t stop their pain, we can be there for them, support them, and get them connected to the resources they need.<\/p>\n

Letting go<\/h2>\n

Seeing someone you care about harming themselves is scary<\/a>. You may feel pressured to try and control their behavior\u2014or do everything you can do to get them to stop self-harming. Or maybe you blame yourself when they don\u2019t stop. But the most important thing to remember is that you can\u2019t take responsibility for someone else. You can\u2019t save them, stop their pain, or make them stop self-harming. Before you can help them, you have to let go and accept that you don\u2019t have control over their behaviors.<\/p>\n

Avoid judgment<\/h2>\n

People who self-harm often experience shame around their behaviors. If they reached out to you for support, then it took an incredible amount of strength and trust for them to ask for help. Try to avoid reacting quickly out of shock or worry. Though these reactions may come from a place of concern, they may make the person you are supporting shut down. And this could also make them more hesitant to reach out to others for support in the future.<\/p>\n

Ask questions<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s OK to ask questions about how self-harm helps them and why they do it. <\/strong>It may be helpful for you to know how they harm themselves and how often. But if they are not open to sharing details, then you should respect their privacy<\/a>. \u00a0It is also important to ask if they are thinking about suicide. Talking about suicide with someone who self-harms will not put the idea in their head\u2014in fact it could be more helpful. Not all people who self-harm are suicidal, but if they are, getting them help is urgent.<\/p>\n

Here are other questions that you can ask:<\/p>\n