SELF INJURY AWARENESS DAY 2023: In a bid to draw attention towards the people who indulge in self-harm, every year March 1 is observed as Self-injury Awareness Day. The global awareness event aims to help people who practice self-harm. The international day is also dedicated to learning about self-harming behaviours like self-cutting, burning, scratching, biting, and other intentional methods of self-injury. The annual day also works towards removing the stigma attached to self-injury.
Moreover, the day encourages family members, educators, and healthcare professionals to identify the signs of self-harm. While it is a serious condition, often the cases of self-harm unfortunately go unreported.
Self Injury Awareness Day: Significance
Rarely have we been told that mental health plays a significant influence over self-harm. It must be noted that grief and self-harm go hand in hand. However, other mental conditions may also be the cause of self-harm. It is considered that self-injury is an outlet for people’s emotions. Apart from raising awareness around the conditions, and making it easier for people to seek help, the purpose of SIAD is also to dispel many misconceptions and prejudices that accompany it.
It is believed that if people are more aware of the day, then they can better empathise and understand the condition. SIAD urges all to aid those who are afflicted by the issues of self-harm and to provide them with support and guidance.
Signs of self-injury
As the day throws light on such behaviour and people, Self-Injury Awareness Day is marked with people sharing their stories and finding a community of people, who can help them in overcoming the condition. Several mental health organisations, which work towards the cause, put extra effort into raising awareness about self-harm, by offering free therapy sessions on this day.
Signs that you must look out for to identify the tendency of self-injury in a person:
- Poor self-esteem
- Using sharp weapons
- Unexplained scars, cuts, burns, or bruises
- Difficulties with interpersonal relationships
- Inability to handle intense emotions
- Wearing full sleeves or pants during summers
- Behavioural and emotional impulsiveness, or unpredictability
- Excessive rubbing or scratching at a particular area to create a rash or burn
- Expressing feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or worthlessness
Self Injury Awareness Day Quotes
- “Self-harm – the world will come at you with knives anyway. You do not need to beat them to it.” –Caitlin Moran
- “Throughout it all, you are still, always, you: beautiful and bruised, known and unknowable.” –Leila Sales
- “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” –Dale Carnegie
- “No neurotic harbors thoughts of suicide which are not murderous impulses against others redirected upon himself.” – Sigmund Freud
- “Self-pity is spiritual suicide. It is an indefensible self-mutilation of the soul.” – Anthon St. Maarten
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