Self harm

SELF HARM

Emma Ramshaw, a VODA volunteer, wanted to make people aware of the issue of self harm.

A group of young people offered some help in exploring the subject. In additional materials available online Emma shares some of her poems, questions to discuss, and some advice for those whose friends and relatives self harm. Having been through the same issue and the pain associated with it, Emma knew exactly how she wanted people to be aware of the issue and put a lot of work into making that happen.

Silent pain

‘Silent pain’ is a film exploring the hidden and misunderstood subject of self harm. Exploring this issue is challenging with the use of poems, drama and interviews young director Emma Ramshaw hopes that people will gain a better understanding of self harm.

In this educational pack you will find energizers, discussion questions, information, references all related to the issue of self harm. There are only suggestions, so you can tailor your own workshop.

For any suggestions or comments please email Evelina.savickaite@voda.org.uk

2011

Energizers/starters Time: 5 minutes

Resources: sheets of paper per pair, pens or pencils

Imaginative shop On a piece of paper in pairs decide if you have had a shop, what would you sell in that shop. Think of a title for your shop and draw a quick advert to promote your products.

Our zoo Split participants into pairs and ask them to list animals they would like to have in their zoo. You can improvise the zoo by adding some specific options (policemen zoo, rock band musician zoo etc.

Initial reflection in relation to a subject

A post card to a self harmer Resources: white paper or blank cards, markers, any available art materials

Time: 10 minutes

Using art materials, participants are invited to create an instant postcard to a unknown self harmer

Collage Resources: basic art materials, paper, magazines and newspapers

Time: 10 minutes

The participants could be given a range of art materials and newspapers to produce a collage about their perceptions of self harm.

Using a poem Resources: poems (resource no. 1), paper, basic art materials, roll pens

Time: 10 minutes

The poem could be read out by a volunteer/facilitator and young people could share/ write down/draw their thoughts or images about how they feel about it.

Introduction to a subject Resources: Quotes, myths, statistics and references (resource no 2.)

Time: 5 minutes

A facilitator is invited to use available materials like myths, quotes and statistics to present the subject.

Film Resources: DVD player or PC, projector.

Time: 10 minutes

Watch a short film ‘Silent pain’. It is a film exploring the hidden and misunderstood subject of self harm. Exploring this issue is challenging with the use of poems, drama and interviews young director Emma Ramshaw hopes that people will gain a better understanding of self harm.

Discussion Resources: a set of questions (resource no. 3)

Time: 10mins

The questions were designed by young people who have experienced self harm. A facilitator may choose the questions for discussions in pairs or in groups. The outcomes of the discussions may be briefly presented in plenary.

Simulation exercise: Web Aim: to raise the awareness among young people about how mental problems might be complicated.

Time: 20mins

Description: participants are standing in the circle and one of them has a yarn ball. He/she takes one end of the yarn and throws a ball to someone in the circle while saying what might cause in her/his opinion self-harm in the young person’s life (i.e. feeling lonely or problems in the family etc.). Then the person who receives a ball, holds a thread and throws the ball to the other person as well saying his/her personal opinion what might cause self-harm in young person life. A ball is thrown as long as all people in the circle have it at least once and holds a piece of thread. Participants can see a visual web in the middle of the circle what might help them to understand how complicated selfharm problem is and how many reasons may cause it.

Evaluation: how did you feel seeing so many possible reasons? Is it a way to help people with all these problems? Were you aware before how big this problem might be?

Postcard exercise Resources: art materials, a list of tips (resource no. 4)

Time: 10 minutes

Participants may finish their postcards to a self harmer by adding few tips. The facilitator/participants can read out the tips produced by young people. Young people are invited to think of more tips after having watched the film and discussed in groups.

Evaluation Time: 5 minutes Resources: art materials, paper

Young people should draw a picture of how they felt during the session. It can be any visual illustration, whilst facilitator may suggest that the colors of picture could reflect awareness and knowledge person gained in this lesson. Dark colors would mean that young people didn’t learn anything, neutral colors would symbolize the fact, that the participants learned some knowledge, whereas bright colors might mean that they have gained new knowledge and their awareness increased significantly.

Then young people could be invited to put these pictures in the middle of circle and if they feel comfortable, comment few words about their art work.

Resource no. 1 Poems by Emma Ramshaw THIS IS MY LIFE

I’M FINE

TEARS AND PAIN

I DON’T UNDERSTAND I’M CONFUSED THIS IS MY LIFE THIS IS MY PAIN

YOU ASK ME IF I’M OK I SAY I’M FINE OF CAUSE IT’S THE SAME ANSWER EVERYTIME

IS THE WAY ITS BEEN FOR MANY YEARS ITS ALL I’VE SEEN

FACING EACH DAY WITH FEAR FACING EACH NIGHT ALONE THIS MY LIFE THIS IS MY PAIN TAKING THE BLADE THE DEED HAS BE DONE I CAN’T RUN ANYMORE THE BLADE KNOWS I PLACE IT BACK IN THE DRAW KNOWING WHEN I NEED IT I WILL FALL ON IT THE BLADE KNOWS IT ASK NO QUESTIONS IT ASK NOTHING OF ME THIS IS MY PAIN THIS IS MY LIFE

I AM FALLING DOWN FURTHER THAN EVER BEFORE KNOWING SOON I’LL HIT THE FLOOR YOU ASK ME IF I’M OK I SAY I’M FINE OF CAUSE IT’S THE SAME ANSWER EVERYTIME I DON’T KNOW HOW TO LIVE YET I DON’T WANT TO DIE THINGS ARE SO HARD AND THERE’S NO WHERE TO HIDE YOU ASK ME IF I’M OK I SAY I’M FINE OF CAUSE IT’S THE SAME ANSWER EVERYTIME

I’M AM THE GIRL I AM THE GIRL PLAYING ON THE SWINGS I AM THE GIRL WHO IS ALWAYS SMILING I AM THE GIRL WHO NEVER SHOWS HER PAIN I AM THE GIRL WHO WILL NEVER BE FREE I AM THE GIRL PLAYING IN THE STREET I AM THE GIRL WHO IS ALWAYS THERE I AM THE GIRL YOU WILL NEVER MISS I AM THE GIRL WHO IS LOST I AM THE GIRL WHO IS HIDING BEHIND A SMILE I AM THE GIRL WHO WILL NEVER BE I AM THE GIRL YOU WILL NEVER SEE I AM THE GIRL WHO HAS FAILED I AM THE GIRL WHO IS FALLING APART I AM THE GIRL WHO IS SCREAMING OUT I AM THE GIRL WHO IS IN PAIN I AM THE GIRL YOU FAIL TO SEE

BY EMMA RAMSHAW

TEARS AND PAIN BE CAME PART OF ME LIKE BREATHING TEARS AN PAIN BECAME MY LIFE ITS ALL I COULD BE TEARS AND PAIN FIGHTING A BATTLE WHICH I’M LOSING

Resource No.2 Myths: Myth1: Young people who self-harm are attempting suicide Fact1: Self-harm can help people who are experiencing emotional distress to go on living with the pain they feel, rather than trying to escape it through suicide.

Myth2: Young people who self-harm are just attention-seeking Fact2: Young people tend to keep their self-harm secret often as a result of feelings of embarrassment, shame or guilt. It is not 'just attention-seeking' however sometimes it can be a cry for help.

Myth3: Don't approach a young person who self-harms, send them straight to the doctor Fact3: Taking time to listen without judging encourages young people to get their problems out into the open- the first step along the road to recovery Myth4: You will know if someone is self-harming if they have cuts on their arms Fact 4: Cutting is one form of self-harm; others include burning, hitting, bruising or poisoning Myth 5: Self- harm is just the latest fashion which young people will grow out of.

Fact 5: Self-harm is not a phase or a fashion. Listening to certain music, or dressing in certain ways does not lead to self-harm. People of all ages, backgrounds and of both genders self-harm. Self-harm is always a signal that something is seriously wrong.

Facts: About 1 in 10 young people will self-harm at some point, but it can occur at any age.

It is more common in young women than men.

Self-harm is more common in some groups of people, such as prisoners, asylum seekers and veterans of the armed forces.

Gay, lesbian and bisexual people are more likely to self-harm than heterosexual people. Researchers think that this is may be due at least in part to the stress individuals may experience as a result of prejudice and discrimination.

Sometimes groups of young people self-harm together. Having a friend who self-harms may increase your chances of doing it as well.

People who self-harm are more likely to have experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse during childhood.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists London

Quotes: ‘I wasn’t telling why I was doing it, I just kelp it to my self.’ Lee ‘I believe that self-harm was helping me, but in reality it was making things worse.’

Emma ‘Self-harm is such a tabu subject. It’s getting better. But lots young people who represent with this problem are petrified to tell anybody because they think they friends will think bad about them or their parents will be shocked and terrified.’

Social worker

Information and support Royal College of Psychiatrists (Information) http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfoforall/problems/depression/self-hamr.aspx Mind (Information and advice) MindInfoline: 0845 766 0163 http://www.mind.org.uk/help/information_and_advice Support line (Information and support) http://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/self_injury.php Sirius project (Information) http://www.siriusproject.org/ NHS Choices (Information and links to external agencies) http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Self-injury/Pages/Introduction.aspx Get connected (Information and support) http://www.getconnected.org.uk/497/what-to-contact-us-about/selfharm.html? gclid=CJuM0eqZ66gCFcUMfAod_TVOEg&ef_id=6JFM1ypPAQAAQTQ:20110516001953:s BUPA (Information) http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/s/self-harm The studentroom (Information) http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Self-Harm_Information National Self-Harm Network (Information and support) Helpline: 0800 622 6000 http://www.nshn.co.uk Recover Your Life (Support) http://www.recoveryourlife.com Harmless (Information, support, training and consultancy for people who self harm, families and friends) http://www.harmless.org.uk Samaritans (Helpline: 08457 90 90 90 (24-hour emergency helpline) http://www.samaritans.org.uk Young Minds (Information and advice) Helpline: 0808 802 5544 http://www.youngminds.org.uk ChildLine (Helpline: 0800 1111 (24 hours) http://www.childline.org.uk Get Connected (Helpline: 0808 808 4994 and email helpline) http://www.getconnected.org.uk The Site.org (Information, advice and support) http://www.thesite.org/healthandwellbeing/mentalhealth/selfharm

Resource no. 3 Questions 1. What do you know about self harm?

2. What would you do if someone told you they self harmed?

3. How do people self harm?

4. What is the most common way of self harming?

Resource no. 4 Do's for families and friends of people who self harm: • • •

Be there to listen and support them Encourage them to get help from their doctor Get more information

Don'ts for families and friends of people who self harm: • • •

Stop talking to them Bully them Pretend like it’s not happening

Do for people who self harm • • • • • • •

Clean your wounds Talk to someone Try to avoid stressful situations Not to be ashamed use clean items Get support Try and focus on something else

Don'ts for people who self harm • •

Use any items that are not clean Hide away from people