Porterville Colleges' Student and Employee Resources:
Students:
Employees:
- Employees can get confidential help by using the KCCD Employee Assistance Program
- EAP provides counseling services for employees and retirees regarding relationship difficulties, marriage and family situations, stress or anxiety and depression issues.
- Concerns such as alcohol and drug problems or family violence may also be discussed with an EAP counselor in this program.
- Employees who choose to use this service, do so with assurance that it is with confidentiality.
- When registering for EAP online use the company code SISC to login.
- To learn more visit the EAP website.
Self-Injury Awareness Day
Self-injury Awareness Day (SIAD, also known as Self-Harm Awareness Day) is a annual global awareness event or campaign on March 1, where people choose to be more open about their own self-harm.
Depression and self-harm often go hand-in-hand, though there are many other reasons people self-harm. As many as two million Americans currently engage in self-harm, with methods like cutting, burning, scratching, bruising, and hitting themselves. It’s said that these behaviors promote feelings of control and help relieve tension, while helping the person express their emotions and escape the numbness that accompanies depression.
Awareness organizations make special efforts to raise awareness about self-harm and self-injury.
People wear an orange awareness ribbon, write "LOVE" on their arms, draw a butterfly on their wrists in awareness of "the Butterfly Project" which encourages people to draw a butterfly on their wrist, they name the butterfly after someone they love and look at it whenever they feel the urge to cut. If the person cuts, they kill the butterfly.
The goal of the people who observe SIAD is to break down the common stereotypes, to educate, spread awareness and understanding about the condition of self-injury, which is often misrepresented and misunderstood in the mainstream.
Those who self-harm are often left feeling alone and afraid to reach out for help because they fear they will be seen as "crazy".
Self-injury is more common than many of us realize. Those suffering from self-harming behaviors often hide their injuries so well that friends and family members have difficulty detecting the habit.
Self-Injury Awareness Day exists to shine a light on the behaviors of self-harm that often live in the shadows and provide resources to those who need assistance and support.
The Cycle
Self-harming behaviors are impulsive acts of cutting or injuring oneself, often associated with premeditative thoughts and negative feelings. Typically, if an individual refrains from inflicting self-injurious acts, he or she will obsessively think about self-injury. When an individual engages in self-harm, he or she expects to gain relief from negative emotions or create a positive feeling toward a personal issue that makes him or her feel low. However, after injuring oneself, an individual often feels shame, guilt, or significant distress which can lead to a vicious cycle of repetitive self-harming acts.
Pause and Reflect
Due to the shame and stigma surrounding self-injury, many people experiencing self-harm are hesitant to reach out for help. This makes it essential for friends and family members to recognize the signs and symptoms of self-injury,
It is important to understand self-injury is a method some people exercise to manage emotional pain and distress and learning how to approach individuals that self-injure with compassion rather than judgement is a critical step in their acceptance of help.
Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Dr. Helen Littrell says,
"For people who are worried about a loved one who is self-harming, it is important not to panic or overreact. Show that you are open to whatever conversation the individual needs to have. This may look like letting someone know you are there for them; being empathetic, understanding, and non-judgmental; and demonstrating honesty. You may offer to help find them support, but make sure that your loved one is in control of how much they share with you and the next steps they need to take.”
Signs of Self-Injury
Self-injury can take on a variety of forms, including:
- cutting
- scratching
- punching
- binge drinking
- ingesting chemicals.
Self-injury is often an indicator of serious emotional distress but is not a mental disorder in itself. Behaviors of self-harm and injury can become addictive, especially because long-term self-injury does not resolve the issues creating the pain that drives individuals to want to harm themselves.
Signs Include:
- Unexplained scars, cuts, burns, or bruises
- Inability to handle intense emotions
- Issues at work, home, or school
- Poor self-esteem
- Excessive rubbing or scratching of an area to create a rash or burn
- Having sharp objects on hand
- Wearing long sleeves or pants in hot weather
- Difficulties with interpersonal relationships
- Behavioral and emotional instability, impulsiveness, or unpredictability
- Vocalizing feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or worthlessness
Self-Injury/Harm Is an Expression for HELP!
In majority of cases, self-harm is not an act of suicide. However, if left untreated, the underlying causes and behaviors of self-injury can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
While it can be difficult for self-injuring individuals who self-injure to reach out for help, there are many resources and alternative coping methods to help those struggling seek help to avoid or reduce self-harming behaviors.
Dr. Littrell shares, “Some people will feel better just knowing they have someone to talk to, and others may benefit from professional help to process underlying causes of their emotional pain.”
RESOURCES
- PC Timely Care
- Employees Assistance Program
- PC CampusWell
- PC Student Health and Wellness Counselor - Lisa Prieto 559.791.2329
- Department of Campus Safety
- Diversus Health
- Self Harm Text Line
- NAMI
Credits:
Created with images by nito - "text I love myself written in a piece of paper" • Ermolaev Alexandr - "Teen girl cuts veins on a hand on a dark background. Space for text" • arwiyada - "summer background with orange gradient background texture" • Drazen - "Above view of group therapy attenders holding hands while sitting in a circle." • Nelos - "Many People Hands Holding Red Straight Word Resources Blue Sky"