Self-Harm Treatment & Support | Inpatient Mental Health Programs
In a world often filled with stressors, distractions, and distress, healthy coping skills can be essential for thriving. We often learn these skills (both consciously and subconsciously) from family, friends, and others in our environment.
However, if we’re not given these valuable learning opportunities, or if trauma or distress become too much to manage, thoughts of self-harm may creep in. Self-harm is deliberately hurting oneself in an attempt to manage very difficult feelings.
While self-harming can provide a short-term relief from intense emotions, these feelings come back – often even stronger than before. This means that people can become more dependent on the behavior over time.
If you or a loved one is self-harming, help is available. A mental health professional can support you in getting to the root of the issue and guide you through how to manage your emotions in effective ways. Sometimes, self-harm inpatient treatment is an appropriate approach for people who self-harm, as it provides a safe, compassionate environment in which people can recover away from the stress of daily routines.
This page can help you understand the ins and outs of self-harm inpatient treatment, as it discusses:
- What self-harm is
- When to seek professional support for self-harming
- Treatment options for self-harming
- Where to find professional support
- Answers to frequently asked questions about self-harm
What Is Self-Harm?
After experiencing extreme hardships or long-term traumas, difficult emotions such as severe anger, sadness, or stress can arise. Without effective coping strategies, it can be difficult to know where to put all of the feelings. This inability to release tension is why many people end up self-harming.1
The reason why many people engage in self-injurious behaviors is that when we hurt ourselves, our bodies naturally come to the rescue with chemicals like endorphins and endocannabinoids. These are typically pain-killing and often referred to as “feel-good” chemicals.
However, self-harming behaviors only bring about temporary relief from emotional pain. Therefore, people often start engaging in these acts of injury more frequently. For this reason, recognizing the signs and symptoms of self-harm may be necessary for getting a loved one the support they need.
Signs and Symptoms of Self-Harm
Self-injurious behavior is usually slow-building and a process that starts with very small acts. However, because of its high likelihood to become a habit, consider talking with a professional or supportive friend if you or someone you love is experiencing any of the following.
The signs of self-harm may include:
Scars or fresh wounds- Cuts, scratches, bruises, burns, bitemarks, or other wounds
- Frequent accidental injuries
- Small or large injuries that continue long-term
- Rubbing skin on purpose to create a burn
- Hoarding sharp objects
- Kives, scissors, pens, and other “sharps” are often used as tools for self-injury
- Behavior changes
- Wearing long sleeves and pants, especially during hot weather
- Drastically changing emotions or behaviors
- Impulsivity
- Interpersonal relationship difficulties
- Confrontations with family members, friends, or others
- Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness1
We accept most major insurance providers and can check your coverage levels for you.
If we are not an appropriate provider for care, we will assist in finding a care provider that can help.
When to Seek Professional Treatment
If you have self-harmed multiple times, or if the first time is very severe, consider finding the best inpatient treatment center for your needs as soon as possible.
However, if self-injury is minor and doesn’t require a hospital visit, you might not want to do something as intense as inpatient stabilization for your self-harming behavior. In cases like this, someone can start by contacting the 988 helpline for advice with a crisis. They also offer chat support. Additionally, there is a free text support for self-injury available by texting “SH” to 741741.3
If you or someone you love is feeling the urge to self-harm, know that you are not alone and there are self-harm inpatient programs that can work for you. Whether you prefer a support group, one-on-one therapies, or inpatient programs, treatment for self-harm is available.
Treatment Options for Self-Harm
Seeking a program or treatment plan for self-harm behavior can be daunting, and the behavior is incredibly personal, making finding the right kind of help all the more difficult. However, seeking help can start with a simple chat, and mental health professionals are experienced with what you’re going through.
Below, we have listed some effective treatment options for self-harm.
Psychotherapy
Often commonly referred to as “talk therapy” or “counseling,” psychotherapy involves an objective, trained professional who can help you get to the root of your issues. They can also assist you with identifying triggers, learning coping skills, problem-solving, and even improving your self-image and social skills.
As a result of working with a psychotherapist on these areas, you can reduce harmful behaviors, as well as improve your confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of worthiness.
The best therapies for self-harm recovery are:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This approach helps you to identify and challenge unhealthy behaviors and negative beliefs that have been developed over time.- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT teaches behavioral skills to handle stress and regulate emotions
- Mindfulness-based therapy (MBT): Sessions center around the idea of being present and coping with difficult emotions and negative thoughts as they arise in real time4
Medication
There are currently no approved medications available specifically for treating self-injury. This is because self-harm is a behavioral condition, so it typically requires a cognitive behavioral approach. However, some of the diagnoses associated with self-harm or self-injury, like depression and anxiety, may have medication management options available. Talk with your doctor or mental health professional about what is right for you.
It’s good to note that, even if medication is prescribed for your needs, it tends to work best alongside talk therapy.
Inpatient Care for Self-Injury Behaviors
The intense feelings that can trigger self-injury may only occur infrequently for some, meaning they could benefit from outpatient treatment. However, for others, they can be frequent and obstructive, meaning that someone can regularly feel at risk or unsafe.
Inpatient programs have 24/7 support available. Therapists work on-site, and helpful staff are there to support you without judgment during your most vulnerable moments. As a result, you can feel safe, cared for, and listened to while taking time away from daily stressors.
Your program will include a comprehensive assessment to identify what therapies you need, so your stay is tailored to you and your recovery has the biggest chance of success. Your program will also allow you to be around others who have experienced similar intense feelings and are finding ways to cope.
It’s understandable to have some concerns about staying in an inpatient program, away from your home and loved ones. However, if it means understanding why you feel the need to self-harm and reducing further injuries to your body and mind, it may be the best decision you’ll ever make.
Find Self Harm Treatment Programs
A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. Self Harm support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.
Take a look at our homes on the east side of the Metro area in Washington County.
View our facilities in Fairfax County, VA within the DC metro area.
AMFM: Residential Programs for Self-Harm Recovery
Self-harming is not the sort of behavioral imbalance that can be ignored. While self-harm is not necessarily indicative of suicidal ideation, it can be addictive and permanently damaging. Additionally, it can increase in severity over time and lead to extreme injury or accidental death. For this reason, it can be extremely distressing for those who do it and their loved ones. But you don’t have to cope alone.
At A Mission For Michael, we are devoted to helping you find the right road to your recovery. If you or someone you love is self-harming, reach out to AMFM for information about self-injury inpatient mental health programs and get the help you need today.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Harm Inpatient Treatment
While the aim of this page was to help you better understand self-harm treatment options, it’s understandable that you may still have some questions or concerns. For this reason, we’ve provided some responses to FAQs about self-harm.
1. How to Support Someone Who Self-Harms?
The best thing to do if someone opens up to you about self-harming is to receive the information non-judgmentally. Let them know that, no matter what they say, you will still love and care for them. Once a treatment plan is in place, support it. Keep a safe home environment and share any coping strategies you come across.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself as well. When someone we love is struggling, it can be easy to get swept up in their care and forget about ourselves, but this is not helpful to your loved one. Find support if you need it and practice quality self-care, like getting eight hours of sleep and eating nutritional meals.
2. How Do You Stop Yourself From Self-Harm?
Reach out to others you know who have experienced similar stresses, feelings of sadness, or anger. If you need to talk to someone outside of your friend or family group, seek support groups for self-harm. These groups can help you to learn healthy coping skills and emotion management techniques that can benefit you throughout your lifetime.
If you are feeling an impulse to self-harm, be sure to avoid anything that might emphasize these feelings. Websites, online communities, and social media that encourage or glamorize self-harm can seem relatable, but may actually make you feel even worse or trigger self-injury behavior. Instead, mindfulness strategies can focus your attention on the here and now and away from emotional distress.
3. How Can I Fix Mental Health From Home?
Asking for help from someone you trust- Following the treatment plan created by you and your therapist
- Identifying and considering your triggers
- Practicing self-care like taking a shower, having a full meal, or getting a full night’s rest
- Always keeping any wounds you have clean
- Seeking medical help if needed4
4. When Should I Go to the ER?
If you have an injury larger than a Band-Aid can cover, you should go to the emergency room. However, hospitals are temporary settings and also highly busy ones, so they do not provide in-depth mental health care. Instead, they will likely treat your wounds and help you reach out to any services or support that you might need to follow up with. Ask your doctors questions about this support and get any contacts to therapists or inpatient programs available near you.
References
- Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Self-injury/cutting – Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350950
- Ryback, R., MD. (2016, March 7). The difference between a healthy brain and an unhealthy one is not wide. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-truisms-of-wellness/201603/the-brains-delicate-chemistry
- Line, C. T. (2024, March 1). FREE support for Self-Injury | Text SH to 741741. Crisis Text Line. https://www.crisistextline.org/blog/2024/03/01/support-for-self-injury/
- Mayo Clinic. (n.d.) Self-injury/cutting – Diagnosis and treatment. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/self-injury/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350956
