Supporting others and yourself

Emotional ideas for supporting a friend/family member who self-harms:

• Ask how they are, and ask twice

• Listen to the answers

• Ask open questions

• Learn how they like to be comforted

• Don’t try to fix everything, just being there is enough

• Remind them that you care

…

Practical ideas for supporting a friend/family member who self-harms:

• Offer to take them to appointments

• Buy a first aid kit so they can take care of injuries

• Plan fun quality time together

• Offer to research support services

• Be patient if they don’t want help yet

…

And importantly, ideas for looking after yourself:

• Talk to someone about how their self-harm affects you

• Acknowledge it’s okay for you to need help too

• Focus on your self-care and boundaries

• Remember you don’t need to fix everything

You can’t pour from an empty cup.