Reshmi Chandra's Story:

 

When you think of the words “self-harm” I am sure many of you think of the obvious, cutting. Although that is a form of self-harm, we tend to overlook the other forms of it. From my experience, my depression made me so weak. I could not get out of bed all day. So, it resulted in me not showering for days, not eating, not drinking water, not socializing and so on. These are examples of other forms of self-harm. When you are doing more harm than good to your body, it is just as awful as cutting.

 

Now, this should not take away from how serious cutting really is. I want to share with you why I used to do it. When I have my episodes of depression, I am flooded with an overwhelming amount of emotions. I feel everything all at once. The minute I cut, everything became silent. It felt good. I felt a wave of calmness come over me and I was so happy. Of course, this did not last for long, but it lasted long enough for me to keep doing it. Eventually, it stops giving you that effect, and some may move to more drastic measures. All I want to share is that self-harm is a coping mechanism and it should not be judged. If it’s possible to find a healthier alternative, please do. Or try cutting back on the self-harm you do.

 

Regardless, there are many forms of self-harm that nobody talks about, so I wanted to make it a conversation. Take care of yourself please. You deserve it. And please don’t feel afraid to reach out. I love you.