Cutting and self-harm can be a way of coping with problems. It may help you express feelings you can’t put into words, distract you from your life, or release emotional pain. Afterwards, you probably feel better—at least for a little while. But then the painful feelings return, and you feel the urge to hurt yourself again. If you want to stop cutting or self-harming but don’t know how, remember this: you deserve to feel better, and you can get there without hurting yourself. What is self-harm? Self-harm is a way of expressing and dealing with deep distress and emotional pain. It includes anything you do to intentionally injure yourself. Some of the more common ways include: Cutting or severely scratching your skin Burning or scalding yourself Hitting yourself or banging your head Punching things or throwing your body against walls and hard objects Sticking objects into your skin Intentionally preventing wounds from healing Swallowing poisonous substances or inappropriate o...