If 1 in 4 women are said to struggle with self harm at some point in their life, then why do I feel like I am made to feel so isolated and "dirty"/shameful for what I have done to my own skin/body?

[Nonoanddefintelyno]

To clarify, the websites I've researched this information from, say that this encompasses burning yourself, pinching yourself, scratching your skin, undereating or overeating and drug use. If I am completely honest, I would say that even the otherwise nicest and kindest people I know have seemed horrified, repulsed or disgusted when i have spoken vaguely about it but not in specific details about how I have struggled with SH urges since i was in my early teens as a way of trying to find a form of release from otherwise very intense and overwhelming anxiety. If the nicest and otherwise most considerate people in my life arent comfortable with how my skin looks that makes me get the sense that no one will be okay with it

Very few people know about my self harming (only time anyone who’s not DH has been aware of them was when I got married and they had to help me hide some fresh ones). if someone started talking to me about theirs I would feel like a deer in the headlights, thinking “should I mention my own”. Tbh I never talk about it, mainly because the scars just remind me of a time when I was really distressed. I don’t look at them when they are healing either. I wouldn’t be repulsed by someone talking about it or showing me their scars. I think for me it’s always a moment of extreme distress that has brought it on and like you it “helped” me calm down. So it would feel really raw to talk about it. DH has learnt over the years to ignore the scars when they have appeared because I just don’t want to talk about it.

I think for a lot of people it’s just an intensely private thing. I don’t think you should feel any shame and I’m sorry you didn’t receive a bit more compassion about it.

People don’t understand MH battles OP. When it’s something they’ve never considered, they are going to be adverse to it. They’re not right though, just because they feel that way.

do you have support from professionals who are adequately trained and understand, support you and help keep you safe?