Self-Harm (**Trigger Warning**)

Today is World Mental Health Day.

Following my series of three videos for BPD Awareness Week, and continuing this theme into Mental Health Week, today I'm discussing the relationship between self-harm and BPD.

What is self-harm? How does it differ from suicide attempt? Why do people do it?

In today's video, I explain why self-harm is addictive. I also debunk the stigma-laden stereotypes of self-harming individuals as "manipulative" and "attention-seeking".

Finally, it is incumbent upon us as mental health professionals to remember that self-harm can result in accidental death, and of course self-harming individuals can become suicidal too. We need to avoid stigmatising these behaviours. We need to look to the underlying intentions, causes, and maintaining variables behind the self-harm. We need to avoid our own over-reactions and maintain our own boundaries.

Most importantly, we need to take a non-judgemental stance when working with self-harming clients.