Overview

How can you support a friend who hurts themself?

It's tough to have a friend who self-injures, or hurts themself on purpose. You may feel worried about your friend. And you may be wondering what to do. You can't stop your friend from self-injuring, but you can be there for them.

Here are some ways to support your friend.

• Encourage your friend to seek help.

  Your friend can talk to an adult they trust, such as a counsellor, a parent, an elder, or a faith leader. If this is too hard for your friend, you can offer to talk to someone for them.

• Don't promise to keep it a secret.

  Self-injury is serious. Sometimes people who self-injure may also be thinking about suicide. So it's important to let someone know. This is to keep your friend safe.

• Be a good listener.

  If your friend wants to talk, do so in a place that's safe and private. If you feel upset, first take some time to calm yourself. If it feels right, ask some questions. And listen closely to the answers. This can help your friend feel better understood.

• Keep hanging out with your friend.

  When you're together, focus on your friend and not the self-injury. Have fun together. Do the things you like to do. For example, listen to music, go for walks, dance, or play a game.

• Take care of yourself.

  It's not easy to have a friend who hurts themself. Boundaries are important. Take breaks and ask for help from a trusted adult, like a counsellor. You don’t have to be your friend’s only support.

• Learn more ways to help your friend.

  One way you can help your friend is by visiting the Self-Injury Outreach and Support website. Go to sioutreach.org to learn more. The site has personal stories, videos, and other tips on how to help a friend.

If it's an emergency, call 911.

Where to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away.

• Call or text Canada's suicide and crisis hotline at 988.
• Call Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 (4 p.m. to midnight ET).
• Kids or teens can call Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.
• Go to the Talk Suicide Canada website at https://talksuicide.ca or the Kids Help Phone website at https://kidshelpphone.ca for more information.
• You can also reach out to 211 Alberta to get details of crisis lines in Alberta and Canada.

Consider saving these numbers in your phone.