When self-sabotage turns into self-harm

Self-sabotage is the behaviour and thoughts we have, whether consciously or subconsciously, that hold us back from success or prevent personal growth.

Self-harm is more conscious actions that we take that are injurious which causes us to hurt or harm ourselves.

Self-sabotage doesn't necessarily always lead to self-harm.

"Self-sabotage can exist without self-harm. Self-harm is a very specific form of self-sabotage by virtue of its consequences - there's a high cost to it but no benefit."

- Dr Khosi Jiyane, Clinical Psychologist

So, what do you do if your self-sabotage has turned into self-harm?

Author Kim Berkley, whose self-sabotage led to self-harm, shared some tips in her
piece 'At the Crossroads of Self-Sabotage and Self-Harm', which was published on healthyplace.com

Berkley recommends:

Getting the right support
Training your brain to adopt a more fair and balanced view of the world and, especially, yourself
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Emotional regulation techniques like box breathing, urge surfing, yoga, and journaling

Berkley notes that what helped her might not help everyone as "everyone's recovery toolbox tends to look a little different."

She emphasises that "the easiest way to find the right tools for healing is generally to work with a medical professional, like a therapist, who can educate you about your options and find the ones that best fit your needs."

“It is unfortunate that as a society we respond to physical ailments, pain, and distress but not so easily to psychological and emotional distress because that is invisible. Very often the person experiencing it may not know what they are going through and unfortunately when we go through that the tendency is to withdraw from society.”

- Dr Khosi Jiyane, Clinical Psychologist