In a crisis or need urgent help? If things feel overwhelming or you're worried about someone else, here’s what you can do:
Remember: Reaching out is a sign of strength. Whether you're looking for a little guidance or urgent help, there are people ready to listen and support you.
Self-harm is when someone hurts themselves on purpose. This can be a way of coping with very difficult or upsetting feelings or experiences.
People may self-harm to try to feel better or to manage emotional pain. It’s not always about wanting to end their life.
Even though self-harm and suicide can be linked, many people use self-harm as a way to survive and keep going during tough times.
Read more from NHS Inform about where to get help if you self-harm.
Self-harm can take many forms. You might be hurting yourself in ways that aren’t always obvious to others—or even to yourself at first. Some examples include:
You might try to keep it hidden—maybe by covering your skin or avoiding conversations about how you're feeling. That’s often because of shame, fear, or not wanting to worry others. But you don’t have to go through this alone.
If you're reading this because you're worried about someone else, try to approach them with care and understanding. They might not be ready to talk, but knowing someone cares can make a big difference.
If you’re self-harming, it’s important to know that you’re not alone—and that help is available. Self-harm can cause serious injury, even if that’s not your intention. Speaking to your GP can be a helpful first step. They can support you in understanding what’s going on underneath and talk to you about treatment or therapy options that might help.
You might feel ashamed, guilty, or confused about what you’re going through. That’s okay. These feelings are common—but you deserve support, not judgment.
Worried about someone else?
If you’re concerned that a friend or loved one might be self-harming, here are some signs to look out for:
If you notice any of these signs, try to approach them with care and understanding. They may not be ready to talk, and that’s okay. Just letting them know you’re there can make a big difference.
You could gently suggest they speak to their GP or contact a confidential helpline such as the Self Harm Network Scotland, who can provide support and resources and a live chat available from 6pm to 10pm, 7 days a week.
There are many reasons why someone might self-harm. Often, it’s a way of expressing or coping with overwhelming emotions—especially when it feels like there’s no other outlet. Some people describe it as a physical release for emotional pain. If you're feeling this way, you're not alone—and there is help available.
You might find that hurting yourself brings a temporary sense of relief. But it’s important to know that there are safer, more supportive ways to cope. You can talk to your GP, reach out to Breathing Space, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or the Self Harm Network Scotland, who can provide support and resources, and have a live chat is available from 6pm to 10pm, 7 days a week —they’re all there to listen, without judgment.
What Might Be Behind These Feelings?
Sometimes, self-harm is linked to social pressures or past trauma. You might be dealing with:
You might also be trying to cope with something traumatic, like:
How Emotional Distress Can Build Up
When you're carrying a lot of emotional pain, it can lead to feelings like:
These emotions can build up over time, and you might not know where to turn. Self-harm can sometimes feel like the only way to let those feelings out. But it’s not about seeking attention—it’s a sign that you’re in distress and need support.
Understanding the Mental Health Side
Some people who self-harm find it hard to manage or “regulate” their emotions. You might feel like you’re stuck in a cycle of tension and release. Research shows that this can be linked to:
In some cases, there may be a psychological reason behind the self-harm, such as:
You Deserve Support
Whatever you're feeling, you don’t have to go through it alone. There are people who care and want to help. Reaching out is a brave and powerful step.
Taking care of yourself is an important step for managing self-harm. It might feel hard to start talking about how you are feeling, but many people find that just sharing their experiences can help them feel better. It may be that just having someone listen to you and show they care can help in itself.
Understand, Distract and Delay. You can use Mind's Coping with Self-Harm Guide. Interrupt your urge to self-harm by doing something else. You can use distraction when you are feeling the urge, when you are aware you are actually self-harming, or even if you think you might feel your urges soon.
Living with self-harm can be very difficult, but there are steps you can take that might help. These self-help guides, websites and apps may be helpful as you work towards eliminating self-harming behaviours. Like any new skill, it may take a bit of time and practice before you notice any changes in the way you feel.
Whether you sometimes think about self-harm, or you’ve already hurt yourself, Samaritans are there to listen. For every 10 calls they answer, one is about self-harm. And many people call because they want to avoid harming themselves in that moment. Contact Samaritans on 116 123.
NHS Inform Breathing and Relaxation
NHS Every Mind Matters offers a free Wellbeing Plan. Just answer 5 questions to get your free plan with tips to help you deal with stress and anxiety, improve your sleep, boost your mood and feel more in control.
Wellbeing Glasgow offer information to support you to manage how you feel, change the way that you think about some things and improve your problem-solving skills and confidence
Citizens Advice Scotland offer advice about benefits, debt problems, legal issues and local services. The Citizens Advice Bureau website has a directory listing its local offices.
Get Active is a great place to start if you are looking to become more active or increase your physical activity. They have a list of options to help you identify classes and activities offered throughout Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Lifelink offer a variety of free online courses such as ‘Re-Assess your Stress’, ‘Art of Relaxation’ and ‘Coping with Change’. Each 2-hour class is delivered experienced facilitators. Participants with a Glasgow postcode can attend as many classes as they like. You can register directly for these classes without the need for any pre-assessment.
Living Life to the Full offer a course to help you learn new skills and tackle problems in your life that may be causing you to feel low worried or hopeless.
MyApp: My Mental Health