Question: how does self harm psychologically help people who are mentally ill?

Nadine Mirza answered on 14 Nov 2018:

This is a very good question and definitely helps us understand self harm more.
Sometimes self harm can be a form of seeking attention. This isn’t a bad or childish thing- these people may be feeling very much neglected and isolated and self harming may be the only way they can let out that call for help.
For those experiencing mental health difficulties that cause them to have a tough time understanding their emotions and what their experiencing, self harming is a form of expression that seems simple and straightforward and they may need that. At other times, self harm can be a way of experiencing control in their lives when everything else seems out of control. It can make them feel more stable.
Sometimes mental health difficulties can also prevent people from feeling any emotions and that numbness can feel so scary that self harming can remind them that their body still feels things- even if what thing is, is pain.