If your self-harm is at all severe, you've tried to stop on your own and failed, or you suspect you may have an underlying mental health problem such as depression, we strongly recommend you seek some form of professional help from a doctor or therapist. Self-harm and related problems can be treated with talk therapy, medication, or occasionally hospitalisation.

If you're in the United Kingdom, see our UK Help & Support page for specific sources of help.

Contents
Seeking help
Counselling & therapy
Medication
Hospital treatment
Complementary medicine


Seeking Help

Getting Help
Information and advice on seeking help for the first time from your GP.

Getting the Most Out of Appointments
Some helpful tips.

Who's Who in Mental Health
Outlines the different types of mental health professionals you may come across and what their job is.

How Will I Pay?
Information and advice for those in the US or other countries which don't have a national health service. (This is on an eating disorders site, but most of it applies to seeking help for any mental health problem.)


Counselling & Therapy

There are many different forms of counselling or therapy, but they all involve talking over one's problems with a trained professional. If you self-injure, therapy can help you find alternatives to self-harm, healthier ways of coping with your problems. It can also address the causes of your self-harm such as depression, family problems or abuse.

Therapy
Information and advice on finding a therapist if you self-injure.

Therapeutic Approaches
Information on different kinds of therapy that can help people who self-injure. Fairly technical.


Common Types of Therapy

Counselling
Counselling aims to provide an opportunity for you to work towards living in a more satisfying and resourceful way.

Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy aims to help you to understand why you feel the way you do, and what lies behind your responses to other people and to things that happen to you. It goes deeper than counselling: you may be encouraged to look closely at your past, particularly your childhood, and your relationships with significant people in your life.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a short-term talking treatment with a highly practical approach to problem-solving. Aims to change patterns of thinking or behaviour that are behind people’s difficulties, and in doing so to change the way they feel.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a form of therapy which has been specially developed for people with borderline personality disorder. It teaches skills of distress tolerance, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and mindfulness.

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
CAT is similar to CBT, but focuses on the past as well as the present. It involves a therapist and a client working together, by looking at what has hindered changes in the past, in order to understand better how to move forward in the present.

Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy can help people control, alleviate or overcome particular symptoms or conditions. It can also be used to help people gain insight into problems which may underlie their symptoms, such as hidden fears, repressed feelings, and emotional conflicts.


Medication

Medication is often prescribed to treat underlying mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, mood swings or hallucinations. A drug called naltrexone is also occasionally used to reduce self-harm cravings or the endorphin rush produced by self-harm - but I've yet to hear of this being done in the UK.

Making Sense Of...
Information on all the main types of medication, as well as other treatments such as herbal remedies and ECT.

Alphabetical list of drugs
A list of all drugs prescribed for mental health problems in Britain, with links to further information.

Psychopharmacological treatment of self-injury
Detailed, quite technical information on the types of medication prescribed to self-injurers.

 
Hospitalisation

People who self-harm are occasionally admitted to hospital, either for their own safety and protection (if their self-harm is seriously threatening their life) or to treat severe mental health problems.

How to cope with hospital admission
Some advice on what to expect if you're admitted to hospital.

Compulsory admission to hospital
Information on being sectioned (admitted to hospital against your will) in the UK.


Complementary Medicine
(in memory of Caro)

There are many "alternative" treatments available for mental health problems. If you're on any prescribed medication, always check with a doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal remedies.

Making Sense of Homeopathy
Describes how homeopathic medicine can help people who have mental health needs.

Making Sense of Herbal Remedies
Offers an introduction to Western herbal medicine, gives information about basic self-help and describes some of the herbs you can use.

St John's Wort Factsheet
Information on the herbal remedy St John's Wort, often used to treat depression.

Making Sense of Tradional Chinese Medicine
An introduction to traditional Chinese medicine, including herbal medicine and acupuncture.

Aromatherapy for Emotional Wellbeing
A list of essential oils that help with various mental health issues. Part of a very comprehensive aromatherapy site.

Bach Flower Essences
The Bach Original Flower Remedies are 38 plant- and flower-based remedies that can help you manage the emotional demands of everyday life.

Omega-3 Fish Oils
Information on omega-3 fish oils and how they can be used to treat depression and mood swings.