self-harm

Our noises are more than just vibrations; our soundings help constitute our presence in the world. Listen to me: what I have to say right now matters.

Apps, sites, and text hotlines help kids cope with mental health issues from cyberbullying to suicide.

I have a mental illness. I am mentally ill. I can barely bring myself to say the words. I have not uttered the phrase “I am mentally ill” out loud.

Trans people struggle with disproportionate levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. This is because we don’t identify with the genders we’ve been assigned based on what our bodies look like, and because we can’t reconcile our true selves with the gender roles that are imposed upon us. This often leads to self-harm.

[CN: suicidal thoughts, self-harm] Why is it OK to minimize the symptoms of a serious, debilitating, chronic condition with no cure just because it’s mental, not physical?

[CN: suicidal thoughts, self-harm] Why is it OK to minimize the symptoms of a serious, debilitating, chronic condition with no cure just because it’s mental, not physical?

[CN: cutting, dissociation, auditory hallucinations] I struggle with the need to have physical, visible proof of my inner world. That’s when I realized tattoos can replace my scars. I can reinterpret what my scars stand for and transform them into something beautiful, something worth remembering.

There are thousands of photos, on Instagram alone, of bleeding wrists, razor blades, scars, and quotes about death. The captions read: “beautiful,” “the blade’s my best friend,” and “please don’t report me, I am such a failure.”