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Am I a self-harmer?

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I haven't done it at late, but every now and again when I got mad at myself, I would do things to hurt myself. I would force myself to hold chili powder or lemon juice in my mouth for 4/5 minutes. I would wrap a heating bad around myself, set it on high, and leave it there until I felt like I was suffocating. I jabbed myself in both my legs with a knitting needle (which smarted terribly) for a few minutes. And, of course, I bite, scratch, and insult myself on purpose every other day or so. I do it because I'm mad at myself for something. Is this a problem, or am I completely normal?

I'd say you're a person who self-harms, yes. I wouldn't be caught up in the label of self-injurer because I tend to find that counterproductive since it can become an identity but your descriptions fit what 'self-injurers' do and feel. 

Normal is relative but the behaviors you've described are self-injurious and aren't healthy ways of coping. Most people who care about you probably wouldn't understand them or want you to keep doing them.

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Ask a Question published by Anonymous (not verified) 4 months ago ()

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