Meeting-The-Challenge-Making-a-Difference-Practitioner-Guide

There are different approaches to helping people who
self-harm frequently:
HARM MINIMISATION
One view is that trying to make people stop self-harming by
reducing access to harmful objects can actually make injuries
worse. Many people who self-harm do so regularly and have a
routine to their behaviour which keeps risk at a level they are
familiar with. If people’s usual methods are removed, they can
resort to other, more dangerous methods of self- harm. Working
with people to support them to minimise risk, and explore
alternative coping strategies and distraction techniques may be
more helpful. If we understand that self- harm serves an
emotional function, exploring alternative ways for that function
to be met is crucial to reducing self- harm.
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO SELF HARM
Some therapies, such as DBT, collaboratively establish with the
service user how to work with them to reduce the likelihood
that that will have urges to self harm, and explore alternative
strategies to coping with any urges, and managing difficult
emotions. This may also involve agreeing how to limit access
to the means of self harming (tablets, blades, etc).
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