Hey, I’ve been through that.

I wish I could tell you something simple about how you just need to love yourself enough not to hurt yourself or whatever, but in real life you just gotta not do it, or else you end up with a bunch of scars later in life that you don’t want.

And I don’t mean this in some dismissive “oh, it’s just a phase” way, because almost all people who self harm end up self harming later by other means. Even if they’re to do with substance abuse or something subtle like face palming a bit too hard and too often about your own fuck ups or entering into relationships knowing they will hurt you. It sucks. It honestly, honestly sucks and nobody will tell you that as straight as someone who lived the life of a self-harmer.

Trust me, though, the more subtle the better. My scars on my shoulder rise above my skin and it took me a while to live with them. I spent weeks with open wounds at my worst wondering if they were infected. It’s a really gross, really repulsive thing even for yourself. Turn to any other means of escapism and it will be a step in the right direction.