To ask for help understanding this

[Autumnorfall]

Ok so I have a certain form of behaviour I have used to help me cope when I am a bit down or stressed. Basically using a sewing needle on my skin to break it and draw blood but nothing more serious than that. I don't know if this would be classes as harm or just a bad habit that helps me a bit. Interested to know what others think

Yes I would

Yes that would still be classed as self harm.

Self harm I'm afraid. You need a better way to cope.

Self-harm is simply when somebody intentionally damages or injures their body, so, yes, this is that, even if it seems to you to be much less invasive than the stereotype of heavy cutting.

Yes it's self harm

Absolutely self harm. Self harm can range from just pinching yourself (barely enough to leave a bruise) to making deep cuts in your flesh.

If it is ritual or you do it when you are unhappy or stressed and it brings you relief it is absolutely self harm.

Self-harm, and it isn't outside the bounds of possibility that it could escalate in severely stressful conditions, OP. Is there anything else that helps? I used to do it, so I know how comforting it is - taking up running helped me to stop completely. What I needed was a bodily sensation, and effort and endorphin worked for me.

That would be classed as self harm, yes. Many more people than you might think superficially self harm as a way to cope with stress over overhwelming emotions. If you decide you would like to explore alternative ways of coping, some people find that squeezing ice cubes, snapping an elastic band on their wrist or screaming into a pillow can give them a similar feeling of 'release'. The Self Harm Network have lots of useful advice on their website. The thing about self harm is, it does serve a purpose. That can be difficult for some people to understand but it's true. If it didn't, no one would do it. So, if you want to reduce your reliance on self harm the key is to work out what purpose it serves for you, then find other things that have a similar effect.

It brings relief from whatever I am feeling and the relief is fast. I love exercise but I cant always get the time for it. Been doing this since my teens on and off. I just assumed because it wasn't severe as such that it wasnt the same. Scared to talk to anyone in RL about it. Would I lose my DD?

Probably not.