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Young Carers drop-in with Jenny Medley will be on the first Wednesday of every month from 12.40pm to 2pm in A14. In the sessions there will be a range of activities to do and games to play. It is also a quiet place to chat or discuss any issues you may have.

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You are not alone. Abuse is never your fault, and help is available. Reach out, someone will listen and support you.

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Exploitation is never your fault. You have the right to be safe and free. Speak up, there are people ready to listen and help.

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You are not alone. Suicidal thoughts are a sign that you need help and support, and there are people ready to listen and help you through this.

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FGM and HBV are illegal and a serious violation of your rights. You have the right to live free from harm and fear. Help is available, speak to someone you trust.

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Find out where to go for advice and support about bullying for parents/carers, young people, or those who work with young people.

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Advice for children and young people - St Giles

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Help for young people Help for young people worried about weapons, gangs, going country and similar issues Pressure can take many forms. Pressure to pay the bills. Pressure to play […]

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Switchboard provides a one-stop listening service for LGBT+ people on the phone,
by email and through Instant Messaging.
Find out more here.

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Building Connections is an online service for young people up to the age of 19, empowering them to find a way through loneliness.

Young people work with a trained befriender, who guides them and champions them each step of the way. Building Connections gives young people tools that can help them build their confidence and better equip them to manage loneliness.

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Building Connections | Support service for young people | NSPCC Learning

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This online service empowers young people aged up to 19 to find a way through loneliness. Young people work through the 11 week programme with a trained befriender who guides and supports them each step of the way.

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Skip to content

Watch the full video

Thinking of suicide?

Are you, or is a young person you know, not coping with life? For confidential suicide prevention advice contact HOPELINE247.

My whole way of thinking has changed. I feel positive about my future and the people around me. I'm now looking forward to the future and helping others just like me!

Thank you so much for the incredible support PAPYRUS and HOPELINE247 has given me. You helped me in that moment and it kept me alive.

I intend to continue to fundraise for and promote PAPYRUS. I am so proud and humbled to be involved with a wonderful charity, and to have received the support that I have.

Having been personally bereaved by suicide I understand the importance and need for our charity. I am surrounded by others who are as passionate as I am about saving lives.

* All feedback is provided by people who contact PAPYRUS. All feedback has full consent of the user and the user remains fully anonymous. Some feedback may have been adapted to keep the users anonymity.

Our latest news

Stay up to date with PAPYRUS; our news section is regularly updated with helpful advice and guidance, as well as information about our upcoming events and campaigns. If you have any questions or queries please get in touch.

Our upcoming events

Please see below some of our upcoming and exciting events including fundraisers and charity events we will be attending. For more information please get in touch.

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Papyrus UK Suicide Prevention | Prevention of Young Suicide

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PAPYRUS UK is a charity for the prevention of young suicide (under 35) in the UK | Call PAPYRUS HOPELINE247 on 0800 068 4141 Now

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Information and advice for young people aged 11 to 18 about sex, relationships and the internet from CEOP Education at the National Crime Agency.

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It might feel difficult, but telling your friend how they’re making you feel can really help.

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Give Info Anonymously

This form is anonymous. No one will know you have sent this info. If you are using a shared or public computer we encourage you to delete your page history.

Please include as much information as possible, as there is no way we can contact you for more info. The video below highlights the key information we need. Please watch this to get top tips for completing the form to ensure we can pass your information on.

Please note as we are 100% anonymous, we cannot take information from you if you are a victim of crime. If you are a victim of crime it's really important that you talk to a parent/guardian, an adult you trust or report it to the police.

You can also get more information, support and advice from the organisations listed on our youth support servicespage.

If it is an emergency you should call the police on 999.

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Give Information Anonymously | Crimestoppers

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This form is anonymous. No one will know you have sent this info. If you are using a shared or public computer we encourage you to delete your page history. Please include as much information as possible, as there is no way we can contact you for more info.

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It's not always easy to know what abuse is. Find out about the different types of abuse and how to get support.

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The UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, where you should report fraud if you have been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime.

Leads the UK's fight to cut serious and organised crime.

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The UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, where you should report fraud if you have been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime. Leads the UK's fight to cut serious and organised crime.

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Stepping Up Project - North Yorkshire Sport

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Stepping Up is an early intervention project that uses mentoring to support children and young people who are beginning to show signs of risky or challenging behaviour within school, home or within their local community.

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This service is one step you can take to help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos taken before you were 18.

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Change Direction is a prevention and early intervention support scheme for young people aged 10-17 in North Yorkshire, who may be committing antisocial behaviour or very low level offences, with the intention of diverting them away from the Criminal Justice System.

The Change Direction diversion scheme will engage with young people, at an early stage before criminal behaviour becomes habitual, to improve circumstances for both the young person and also the local community. The young person will be provided with nurture and support, from a dedicated keyworker, in order to begin to address any underlying causes of future criminal behaviour. The young person's engagement with the Change Direction scheme will be on a voluntary basis.

The overall aims of the Change Direction scheme are to:

Reduce the number of young people entering the criminal justice system as a first-time entrant

Reduce Crime and Antisocial Behaviour incidents in localised areas of North Yorkshire and the City of York

Reduce re-offending by young people

To support young people to make positive progress against their identified needs.

The Change Direction Diversion scheme, provided by North Yorkshire Youth, will be trauma-informed and offer multiple and wide-ranging methods of engagement and intervention, which will be led by the interests of the young person. The support offered will enable young people to work towards goals and achieve outcomes, the intensiveness of the support will be responsive to each young person's needs.

Key components of the Change Direction scheme

An initial assessment of needs and strengths and the production of a tailored support plan

The offer of one-to-one and group work

Practical support and emotional trauma-informed support where required

Advocacy and support to access specialist services

The delivery of in-house interventions

Referral to existing commissioned services and other specialist services

Planned exit with an offer of peer support

Measurement of progress against identified needs

Community Outreach
The Change Direction scheme will also undertake community outreach engagement and will adopt some of the principles of detached youth work, in order to encourage engagement from young people within local communities. This will be driven by local intelligence and will be informed by any key issues young people may be facing in specific areas.

The community outreach engagement work will have a particular focus on identifying young people from hard to reach groups or communities, for example from BAME or socially isolated rural communities across North Yorkshire and the City of York. As well as those young people that might not yet be known to existing keyworker services, such as the Youth Justice teams, or those who may have fallen through service gaps who are not currently working with keyworker services but may be known to NYP or the Community Safety Hubs.
Referrals to the Change Direction Diversion Scheme
Referrals are welcome from a range of agencies.

Referrals to the scheme can be made via this link. You will be required to enter your email address and then you will be sent an email, click on the appropriate link for the Change Direction scheme. Once submitted, the referral form will go directly to North Yorkshire Youth who will then make contact with the individual to arrange an appointment.

Alternatively you can request a referral form from Clare Yates, Youth Development Manager at [email protected] . Referrals are welcome from a range of agencies including schools/education settings, Community Safety Hubs and North Yorkshire Police.

For NYP the referral form can be found on the sub site.
For further information about the Change Direction scheme contact[email protected]

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Change Direction Youth Mentors | North Yorkshire Youth

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Change Direction is a prevention and early intervention support scheme for young people aged 10-17 in North Yorkshire, who may be committing antisocial behaviour or very low level offences, with the intention of diverting them away from the Criminal Justice System.

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Cyberbullying - Information and advice about Cyberbullying for victims of online abuse and cyber crime.

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You can talk to us

Sometimes bullying can be hard to describe, especially if you're being bullied by friends.

If someone's trying to make you feel bad, that's not okay. We're here to help.

Sometimes bullying can be harassment or threatening behaviour, which is against the law. So if someone keeps making you feel scared on purpose, what they're doing could be illegal.

Harassment can include someone:

lying to you about who they are

threatening to hurt you

sending nasty or offensive messages to you or about you.

Telling someone how you feel can be tough, but it can really help you feel less alone.

You don't need to tell someone everything at once. You could start by choosing one person you trust to talk to. If you can't think of anyone, you can always talk to us.

If you're struggling to say what's happening out loud, you could try:

Taking your mind off what's happening can help you have more energy to cope when things are difficult.

Why not try:

Taking a break from checking your messages
Try muting your notifications and doing something else if people are messaging you online, even if it's just for a short time.

Going for a walk
If you feel it's safe to, go for a walk or run in the park. Or try playing sports.

Creating a maze
Focus on making it as big or complex as you want. If you want to challenge yourself, try making one without taking your pen off the paper.

Distracting yourself right now

If you're struggling with your feelings, try moving away from anything that might distract you and take a few deep breaths. Focus on what's around you and name:

5 things you can see

4 things you can touch or feel

3 things you can hear

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

Bottling up your feelings can make them hard to cope with. But there are lots of ways you can let them out. Why not try:

Listening to music
Try listening to music that matches how you feel. Or if you want to distract yourself, listen to music that makes you happy or a podcast.

Writing a poem
Write a poem about how you're feeling now. Or keep your mind busy by coming up with limericks or rhyming poems.

Making a comic book
You could make a comic about what's happening, what you'd like to happen or something completely different.

Bullying can have a big effect on your confidence. You might be worried about going out or spending time with people, which can really affect your mental health.

Doing something small every day can really help you to feel better and build your confidence.
Feeling better with positive statements
Saying positive statements to yourself can help when you're feeling low or like the bullying's your fault. You could say them out loud or in your head.

Focus on positive things happening now and try making some up yourself. Or use some of the examples below:

"The bullying isn't my fault"

"I deserve to have a life without bullying"

"Today is only one day"

"Things can change"

"I'm strong enough to keep trying".

Making sure you have a healthy routine and taking care of yourself can have a big impact on your mental health.

Having a healthy routine includes:

making sure you get enough sleep

eating healthily and not having too much junk food

doing something every day that makes you feel good or proud

spending time with people who make you happy

exercising or spending time outside.

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. And if you're worried about it, it's important to get support.

You can talk to your doctor about anything you might be feeling. Big or small. If you're not sure where to start, you can use sites like DocReady to help make a list of your symptoms.

Self-harm and suicide
Lots of young people talk to us about feeling suicidal and wanting to self-harm. If you're feeling this way, it's good to tell your doctor about it or you can always talk to us.

Watch: How to cope after bullying

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Let them know you're there for them
Listening and letting someone who's being bullied know you're there if they want to chat can make a massive difference. Chatting to them regularly and saying you're there for them can help them feel less alone.

Help them to get support
You could offer to go with them to report the bullying and help them think about what they want to say. Or you could help them report it on social media.

Think before you like or comment on something
Liking, sharing or commenting on a post designed to bully someone can make it more popular and visible, even if you're not supporting it. Don't respond to a post, even if you're not sure if it's meant to bully someone.

Help to distract them
Help them to take their mind off things for a short while. You could watch a film, play sports or a game together.

Be positive around people
Whether it's posting positive things online, or being friendly to people at school, being positive can help lots of people to feel better.

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Bullying can happen to anyone. Whether it's online, at home or in school, no one has the right to hurt you or make you feel bad. If you or someone you know is being bullied, we're here to help.

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Stop It Now | Preventing child sexual abuse

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Online self-help and confidential Stop It Now helpline for anyone worried about child sexual abuse, including their own thoughts or behaviour.

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It's important that all adults know how to spot the signs of child abuse and exploitation, and how to do something about it. Understandably children can find it very difficult to talk to adults about the harm they are experiencing and may not even recognise that what's happening to them is abuse or exploitation. They may not always show any outward physical signs of abuse, but there are some things to look out for, including emotional or behavioural signs.

Some things you may notice in your child are:

physical signs, such as unexplained injuries, sexually transmitted infections or urinary tract infections

changes in emotion, such as increased fear, anxiety or anger or being less able to regulate their emotions

issues with their mental health, emotional wellbeing or self-esteem

changes in behaviour, such as suddenly becoming withdrawn or isolated, or distrusting others

changes in their usual habits such as eating, use of internet/ gaming, phones or friendships

having more sexual knowledge or displaying more sexualised behaviour than is developmentally appropriate for their age

discomfort with sex and their body

having things such as money, phones, expensive clothes or other items, when you don't know how they have bought them

being away from home or school where you don't know where they are

This is not an exhaustive list of the signs of abuse and exploitation. Abuse can also be indicated by the inappropriate and controlling behaviour of the person abusing. Environmental factors, such as the child having more needs that are going unmet, should also be considered as it may make them more at risk of abuse. If you have any concerns about your child, speak to them about their safety and wellbeing or to a professional who can support you.

Read our advice about talking to your child about their safety and wellbeing.

Barnardo's hosts the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre) which has produced a template to support professionals working with children to identify the signs and indicators of sexual abuse and build a picture of their concerns.

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Learn more about child sexual abuse (CSA) and child sexual exploitation (CSE) from our specialists.

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Child trafficking is when young people are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes and are moved and then exploited, forced to work or sold. Child trafficking and exploitation are types of child abuse.

Children and young people can be trafficked into the UK from other countries, and also within the UK. They could be moved to a different country or even within the same town or village. Traffickers could work alone, be part of a small group or a large organised group.

If you've experienced child trafficking and are being exploited it can be really hard to recognise what's happening. You may feel trapped and like you have to do something you're uncomfortable with or don't want to do.

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Child trafficking is when young people are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes and are moved and then exploited, forced to work or sold. Child trafficking and exploitation are types of child abuse. Children and young people can be trafficked into the UK from other countries, and also within the UK.

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Children and young people involved with gangs and criminal exploitation need help and support. They might be victims of violence or pressured into doing things like stealing or carrying drugs or weapons. They might be abused, exploited and put into dangerous situations.

We have advice about what to do if a child is being groomed to join or has already joined a gang.

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We have advice about how to spot the signs of criminal exploitation and involvement in gangs and about what support is available for children and young people.

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If you’re worried about sexual exploitation, we have information and advice to protect and help children and young people.

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Are you being bullied?

If you are being bullied, or you are not ready to make a report to CEOP, you can talk to Childline anonymously online or on the phone - No worry is too big or too small.

Visit Childline

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Are you being bullied? If you are being bullied, or you are not ready to make a report to CEOP, you can talk to Childline anonymously online or on the phone - No worry is too big or too small. Visit Childline

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Children and young people are often hidden victims, but they are regularly directly and indirectly impacted by abuse. Click here to get help now Our specialist teams support children and young people who have witnessed or been subject to domestic abuse and young people who’ve been sexually assaulted. We also…

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Domestic violence or abuse can happen to anyone. Find out how to recognise the signs and where to get help.
If you're worried someone might see you have visited this page, the Women's Aid website tells you how to cover your tracks online.

Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse, includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse in couple relationships or between family members.

Domestic violence can happen against anyone, and anybody can be an abuser.

Getting help and support for domestic violence

You do not have to wait for an emergency situation to find help. If domestic abuse is happening to you, it's important to tell someone and remember you're not alone.

Other ways to get support:

You can also email for support. It is important that you specify when and if it is safe to respond and to which email address:

The Survivor's Handbook from the charity Women's Aid is free and provides information for women on a wide range of issues, such as housing, money, helping your children, and your legal rights.

If you are worried that you are abusive, you can contact the free Respect helpline on 0808 802 4040.

Signs of domestic violence and abuse

There are different kinds of abuse, but it's always about having power and control over you.

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you might be in an abusive relationship or experiencing domestic abuse.

Emotional abuse

Does your partner or someone you live with ever:

belittle you, or put you down?

blame you for the abuse or arguments?

deny that abuse is happening, or downplay it?

isolate you from your family and friends?

stop you going to college or work?

make unreasonable demands for your attention?

accuse you of flirting or having affairs?

tell you what to wear, who to see, where to go, and what to think?

control your money, or not give you enough to buy food or other essential things?

monitor your social media profiles, share photos or videos of you without your consent or use GPS locators to know where you are?

Threats and intimidation

Does your partner or someone you live with ever:

threaten to hurt or kill you?

destroy things that belong to you?

stand over you, invade your personal space?

threaten to kill themselves or the children?

read your emails, texts or letters?

harass or follow you?

Physical abuse

The person abusing you may hurt you in a number of ways.

Does your partner or someone you live with ever:

slap, hit or punch you?

push or shove you?

bite or kick you?

burn you?

choke you or hold you down?

throw things?

Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse can happen to anyone.

Does your partner or someone you live with ever:

touch you in a way you do not want to be touched?

make unwanted sexual demands?

hurt you during sex?

pressure you to have unsafe sex - for example, not using a condom?

pressure you to have sex?

If anyone has sex with you when you do not want to, this is rape. It is still rape if that person is your partner.

Have you ever felt afraid of your partner?

Have you ever changed your behaviour because you're afraid of what your partner might do?

If you think you may be in an abusive relationship, there are lots of people who can help you.

Domestic violence and abuse against women often starts during pregnancy. If the relationship is already abusive, it can get worse.

Find out more about domestic abuse in pregnancy.

If you decide to leave

The first step in escaping an abusive situation is realising that you're not alone and it's not your fault.

Before you go, try to get advice from an organisation such as:

If you're considering leaving, be careful who you tell. It's important the person abusing you does not know where you're going.

Women's Aid has useful information about making a safety plan that applies to both women and men, including advice if you decide to leave.

Helping a friend if they're being abused

If you're worried a friend is being abused, let them know you've noticed something is wrong.

They might not be ready to talk, but try to find quiet times when they can talk if they choose to.

If someone confides in you that they're suffering domestic abuse:

listen, and take care not to blame them

acknowledge it takes strength to talk to someone about experiencing abuse

give them time to talk, but do not push them to talk if they do not want to

acknowledge they're in a frightening and difficult situation

tell them nobody deserves to be threatened or beaten, despite what the abuser has said

support them as a friend, encourage them to express their feelings, and allow them to make their own decisions

do not tell them to leave the relationship or leave home if they're not ready - that's their decision

ask if they have suffered physical harm and if they have, offer to go with them to a hospital or GP

help them report the assault to the police if they choose to

be ready to provide information about organisations that offer help for people experiencing domestic abuse

Video: domestic violence

In this video, 2 women describe their experiences of domestic abuse.

Sexual assault

Anyone who has been sexually assaulted can get confidential help, treatment and support at a sexual assault referral centre.
Read more about getting help after rape and sexual assault Find your nearest sexual assault referral centre

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Getting help for domestic violence and abuse

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Find out about the signs of domestic violence and abuse, and where to get help. Domestic violence and abuse can happen against women and against men, and anyone can be an abuser.

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Things you should remember:

nobody should have to experience domestic abuse in their home

if it's happening, it's not your fault

domestic abuse doesn't always involve physical violence - it can also include bullying and threats

you can always speak to a counsellor about what's going on

if you're in danger call 999.

When Jahmene was growing up, his father was physically and emotionally abusive towards him and his mother.

It can be hard to know who to talk to when you're feeling unsafe at home. But Childline is still here to support you when you need us.

You could try talking to an adult you trust, like someone in your family or a friend's parents or carers. It can be hard not to talk in person, but it can help to send a message to tell someone you need to talk. You could also talk to your GP if you're able to.

You can call a Childline counsellor any time for free on 0800 1111 or speak to a counsellor online using 1-2-1 chat.

It can be scary talking when you're stuck at home. If you don't need to talk straight away, sometimes it can be safer to send a message from your locker. We'll usually reply within a day.

In an emergency, you should always call 999.

If someone at home is hurting you, it can help to make a plan of how you can stay safe. Sometimes this can mean:

making sure you're not alone with that person

avoiding them when they've been drinking or they're angry

staying in your room or somewhere in the house that feels safe.

If someone's hurting you, it's never your fault. If something's happened and you're not sure if you can stay safe, then you should phone Childline on 0800 1111 or the police on 999.

A safety plan can help you know what to do if you feel unsafe at home. It can help to make one if you're worried about being hurt or if you think something might go wrong. A safety plan includes all of the information you'll need in an emergency.

It's important to talk to someone you trust or to Childline when you're making a safety plan.

Your plan could include:

who to call - this could be an adult you trust, Childline or the police

safe places you can stay if you have to leave home, and a plan of how to get there if you need to travel

things you'll need in an emergency, like medication or a phone charger

what to do if you're caring for someone else.

If something happens and you need to leave home, it's important to talk to the police. While the country is on lockdown, they have the power to take you home, even when you don't want to. Telling them you've left home and that you don't feel safe will help them to support you.

If you've left home, the best way to get support is by phoning the police on 999.

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Domestic abuse is when a grown up threatens, bullies or hurts another adult in the family. Sometimes it's called domestic violence.

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Whether you're worried about yourself or someone else, you can find information about drug and alcohol use and smoking below to help.

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Find out everything you need to know about drugs, their effects and the law. Talk to Frank for facts, support and advice on drugs and alcohol today. | FRANK

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A range of self help resources to support 16-25 year olds

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We understand that everybody's experience is different. When you come to one of our services, we will personalise your care to help you achieve your goals.

If you're concerned about something and you don't know what steps to take, we have lots of advice and information that can help.

We're here to help with life's challenges, whether it's problems with drinking or drugs, or you're just looking to live a happier and healthier life.

When you come to a service for the first time, a friendly member of the team will greet you. Feel free to bring a friend or family member with you for support.

If someone was nervous to go to a service I'd say 'don't be fearful. Even if you need help for other issues like housing, the workers will do everything they can.'

Danielle works at our Bromley service

Read Danielle's story

Through volunteering, I see something in my future. I know I can still make something out of my life. I can make a difference in someone else's life.

Jose volunteers with us

Read Jose's story

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We're a national health and social care charity. We can help you with challenges including drugs and alcohol, housing, justice, health and wellbeing.

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What you can do

1. Tell someone what's happening. This could be your teacher or your manager at work. They can help to make changes or support you.

2. Follow policies or guidelines. Your school or employer have a duty to protect you from. discrimination. Find out about their discrimination policy so that you can report what's happened.

3. Keep a record. Messages, videos or a diary of what's been happening can help when telling an adult or be used as evidence.

4. Keep telling. You may have to speak out more than once about what's happening. It's okay to tell someone else if you don't feel it's being taken seriously.

5. Tell the police. If you feel threatened or a crime has been committed you can speak to the police on 999 in an emergency or 101 at other times.

This is crime which includes prejudice or discrimination. You might be assaulted or have your belongings damaged. Hate crime is where the person focuses on your:

disability

race or ethnicity

religion or beliefs

sexual orientation

gender identity.

It's still a hate crime if someone makes an assumption about your identity. For example, if someone does something because they think you're Muslim.

Hate crime can happen online, in the street, at school, college, work or at home. You might feel frightened, threatened or angry about the abuse. Remember, hate crime is wrong and is never your fault. If you think you may be the victim of hate crime you can report it to the police on 999 in an emergency and 101 at other times.

Facts about hate crime

Race hate crime includes all countries within the UK.

Refugees and asylum seekers can get support if they experience hate crime.

Both majority and minority groups are covered by the law.

There can be an increase in racially or religiously aggravated crimes after incidents like terrorist attacks. Remember, the police are there to protect you.

People can get a longer sentence for hate motivated crime.

A stereotype is an idea or assumption about a group of people. Stereotypes are not based on fact. Instead, stereotypes are based on opinions or feelings. Stereotypes can lead to prejudice and discrimination.

Stereotypes are often negative and assume everyone in a certain group is the same or acts the same way. All groups are made up of people who have different personalities, strengths and weaknesses.

Being treated differently because of a stereotype, like someone assuming your sexuality based on the clothes you wear, is a type of discrimination. Even when the assumption isn't true it's still discrimination. Discrimination can also happen through someone you know, like not being able to access a shop with a family member who is disabled.

Everyone makes assumptions and your views are influenced by the opinions of your family, friends, community and the media. The opinions you hear a lot can have a big effect on what you believe and you might not question them.

You may not be aware of the assumptions that you make. Try listening to other views by talking to people outside of your social group at school or college, talking on the message boards or searching for information online that you wouldn't normally look for.

Prejudice is having a biased or unfair opinion about a group of people which isn't based on fact. Prejudice could be against a certain ethnicity, young or old people, men, women, people with religious beliefs, people who don't have a religion, or people with a disability.

A person who doesn't want a certain group of people living near them is showing prejudice.

Sometimes bullying includes discrimination, like if someone picks on you because of your race or sexuality. Sometimes people discriminate without realising what they're doing, like making racist jokes or calling someone insulting names. Whether it's done on purpose or not, bullying and discrimination is always wrong.

Harassment is behaviour which frightens you and causes you distress or alarm. You might experience unwanted phone calls, broken windows or online abuse and feel humiliated, offended or threatened.

You can be harassed by a stranger or by someone you know. There needs to be 2 or more incidents by the same person or group of people to be classed as harassment.

If you think you're being harassed because of your disability, race, religion, transgender identity or sexual orientation, you can report it to the police as a hate crime.

Watch: Women's Rights ft. Candysomething

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What you can do Tell someone what's happening. This could be your teacher or your manager at work. They can help to make changes or support you. Follow policies or guidelines. Your school or employer have a duty to protect you from. discrimination. Find out about their discrimination policy so that you can report what's happened.

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It's illegal to treat people differently because of their race or culture. If it happens to you, remember - no one has the right to make you feel bad or abuse you for who you are.

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Young People’s Resource Hub - Stop Hate UK

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Welcome to the Young People’s Online Hate Resource Hub At Stop Hate UK we recognise the impact that online hate can have on individuals and communities. We work to reduce it and create a better online environment by increasing understanding of how and why it is important to know the harmful effects…

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Need help after crime?

Get in touch anytime for independent, free, and confidential advice:

In an emergency you should always call 999.

Our services are confidential. We will only share information about you without your consent if we're concerned about your, or someone else's safety, or if we're required to by law. Read our privacy policy.

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Victim Support is the independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales.

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Report in Anti-Muslim Hate or Islamophobia

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Tell MAMA supports victims of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate. You can report in anti-Muslim hate to Tell MAMA & we will provide casework, one to one, emotional support & legal referrals.

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True Vision is is a police-funded web site designed to provide you with information about Hate Crime.

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Homophobic and transphobic bullying can include:

making comments about your gender or sexuality that deliberately make you uncomfortable

calling you names or teasing you

hitting, punching or hurting you

making sexual comments or asking you sexual questions

ignoring you or excluding you

making comments about you online.

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Homophobic and transphobic bullying can include: making comments about your gender or sexuality that deliberately make you uncomfortable calling you names or teasing you hitting, punching or hurting you making sexual comments or asking you sexual questions ignoring you or excluding you making comments about you online.

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Childline is a service provided by NSPCC Weston House, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Registered charity numbers 216401 and SC037717

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We'd love to show you how your support is helping LGBTQ+ people everywhere to thrive. We need your consent to keep you up to date with our campaigns and events, and what you can do to help make life better for LGBTQ+ people.

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At Stonewall, we stand for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) people everywhere. We imagine a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to be ourselves and can live our lives to the full.

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A national voluntary organisation and charity dedicated to supporting parents and their lesbian, gay, bisexual and Trans sons and daughters

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akt – providing safe homes & better futures for young lgbtq+ people

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24% of 16-25 year olds experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ+. We provide vital services to support LGBTQ+ young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment.

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Galop works with and for LGBT+ victims and survivors of abuse and violence in the UK

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GP: Make an urgent appointment with your GP if you are worried about eating or weight. They can refer to specialist eating disorder services.

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Beat provides Helplines offering support and information about eating disorders no matter where you are in your journey.

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Eating problems can happen because of lots of different things, but we're always here to support you.

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Life can feel overwhelming, and that's okay. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, feeling low or just need someone to talk to, we're here. Find real stories, practical advice and support from people who get it.

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Mental Health Support for Young People | The Mix

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Struggling with your mental health? The Mix offers youth-led advice, real-life stories, and expert support on anxiety, depression, stress, and more.

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What To Do If You’re Experiencing Eating Problems

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Whether you have a diagnosed eating disorder like anorexia, bulimia or ARFID, or you have just begun to struggle with food and eating, help is available.

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5 facts about FGM:

FGM is abuse, and it's illegal in the UK

there is no religious or medical reason for FGM

FGM can happen at any age before marriage

FGM can be dangerous if there is blood loss and infection

if you've been cut or you're worried about FGM, help is available.

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Female Genital Mutilation is also called FGM, female circumcision, cutting or sunna is when a girl's external genitals (private parts) are cut away. This is abuse, and it is illegal in the UK.

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Female genital mutilation is illegal. We've got advice to help you keep children and young people safe.

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How can Karma Nirvana help me? - Karma Nirvana

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People calling our helpline often tell us that we’re the first organisation to truly listen and understand what is happening to them. Many callers describe the experience as life changing.

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The Island York - Explore our mentoring programmes

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From one to one mentoring to youth clubs and from counselling to tutoring, we offer several mentoring services which have been designed to help build up the resilience, confidence, and self-esteem of children and young people living in York. Click here to find out more.

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For urgent support if you’re experiencing homelessness or advice to help prevent you becoming homelessness

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Click4Assistance UK Live Chat Software

© 2023. Missing People | Registered charity in England and Wales (1020419) and in Scotland (SC047419).

All rights reserved. The words Runaway Helpline are registered trademarks of Missing People Ltd.

Runaway Helpline is a service for 11-17 year olds run by the charity Missing People

a: PO Box 28908, London, SW14 7ZU

t: 020 8392 4590 e: supporters@missingpeople.org.uk

These phone and email details are not 24/7. If you are looking for support please call 116 000 or email 116000@runawayhelpline.org.uk.
Privacy, policies and terms of use

It looks like you're accessing this website from outside the United Kingdom.

The Runaway Helpline can only provide services to children and young people within the United Kingdom, and information and advice on this site relates to the UK only.

I understand

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.

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Whatever you tell us at Runaway Helpline we'll listen and offer support. Not judge or tell you what to do. It's your call.

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Self-care is about the things we can do to look after our own mental health. Young people told us that when they are struggling they are usually told to see a professional. They don't often get much advice about how they could help themselves.

We spoke to professionals and looked at academic research. Then we drew up a list of strategies young people use (you can see the process in this self-care infographic). We also published a report following a consultation with young people and their families online.

We're sharing these strategies with you to help you to manage your wellbeing. It's up to you to decide what helps. If it works, keep doing it. If it doesn't, stop and try something else. And you can help us build an evidence-base for these activities by letting us know what works by clicking on the 'Did this activity help your mental wellbeing' button on each page. This will help us decide which ones to research further. We've also created a booklet to help you create your own self-care plan as part of our and another booklet with advice for young parents and carers on looking after their wellbeing.

These activities are not a substitute for seeing a mental health professional. Sometimes we need outside help and advice. Getting help is good. No-one should feel bad about it. That's what this site is about.

This self-care section was developed by Common Room and young people from mental health support group Hearts & Minds.

These strategies were identified by young people aged 11-25 though some strategies might not be appropriate for all ages without support or guidance of a trusted adult.

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Resources to enable the prioritisation of mental health and wellbeing

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Mental Health Support for Young People | The Mix

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Struggling with your mental health? The Mix offers youth-led advice, real-life stories, and expert support on anxiety, depression, stress, and more.

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Kooth is your online mental wellbeing community. Access free, safe and anonymous

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Just as your body can become unwell, your mind can become unwell too. And just like with physical illnesses, treatment and support is available. Use our guides to find out more about different mental health conditions, how to cope with your feelings and what support is available to you.

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Mental Health Conditions | Signs and Symptoms | YoungMinds

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Use our guides to find out more about different mental health conditions, how to cope with your feelings and what support is available to you.

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Get help - free, 24/7, confidential mental health text support service

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Feeling anxious, stressed, or need support? Shout is free, confidential and available 24/7. Text SHOUT to 85258 to start a conversation with a trained volunteer.

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Find out more about emotional health and how we can support you.

What is Emotional Health?

Emotional health is about the way we think and feel, and the ability to manage our feelings and deal with difficulties. Having good emotional health is not the same thing as being happy all the time.

Everyone experiences difficult feelings from time to time, and often we don't know what to do to help us get back on track.

How we can help you

Anyone can contact Samaritans, no matter how old you are. Find out more about how to contact a Samaritan.

Other sources of support

If you're looking for specific advice or support for a particular problem, it may be useful to talk to different organisations. You can find a list of helpful organisations here.

Have you been affected by a suspected suicide?

Suicide is a tragedy. The loss of a life through suicide has a ripple effect on everyone that had a connection with the person who has died - even if you didn't know them very well.

It's important to know that there's no right or wrong way of feeling.

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Everyone experiences difficult feelings from time to time, and often we don't know what to do to help us get back on track.

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If you're affected by mental health in any way, it's important to know the facts. We're here to help.

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Are you feeling distressed, frightened, overwhelmed, or that things are too much for you?
Don't know where to turn to get mental health support?
Are your usual sources of support closed for the night?

Phone: 07483 141 310.
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 6pm-10pm and Saturday-Sunday 2pm -10pm.
Address: 30 Clarence Street, York, YO31 7EW (Opposite the Union Terrace Coach Park, next to York St. John University)

Calls and emails will be monitored by staff during Safe Haven opening hours. You may call and leave a message, or send an email, at any other time of day, and these will be picked up and responded to as soon as possible during opening hours.

What can you expect from us:

This is a walk-in service - there's no need to be referred by your GP or Care Coordinator. The Haven @ 30 Clarence Street offers a welcoming, safe, comfortable, non-judgmental and non-clinical environment. At the Haven, we will be able to provide information and emotional support if you are in crisis or feel you are heading towards a crisis situation.

You can come just for a chat, or you can access one-to-one emotional support from trained mental health professionals. We also offer virtual support via video call.

We also offer help in creating staying well and crisis plans, and support visitors to access other services and organisations that may be useful to them.

We work closely with GPs, Community Mental Health Teams, Crisis Teams, A&E Mental Health Liaison Teams, Police and Ambulance Services, Street Triage, and other front-line healthcare professionals to ensure that people in emotional distress have a safe, supportive Haven to go to, with appropriate mental health support available.

People using The Haven will also be supported by our 24/7 helpline, which offers access to emotional support and information even when The Haven is closed.

Who is this service for?

Anyone aged 16 and over who is experiencing a mental health crisis, is in distress, or their carers, can come to The Haven - you don't need a formal referral or appointment.

Please note: York Safe Haven is not suitable for people needing urgent medical attention (for example, after self-harm) - for urgent medical care please attend your nearest A&E or call 999.
Please also be aware that, for the safety and wellbeing of others using the service, York Safe Haven cannot accept people who are very intoxicated, aggressive or abusive.

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The Safe Haven offers out-of-hours mental health support to anyone aged 16+ in the York and Selby area.

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Compass Phoenix (North Yorkshire) - Compass

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The aim of Compass Phoenix is to improve outcomes for children and young people in relation to their emotional wellbeing and mental health.

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Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)

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We're the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and we're uniting the UK against suicide.

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R;pple exists to reduce exposure to harmful online content relating to Self-harm and Suicide through a real-time banner display and keyword configuration to encourage mental health support and awareness.

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Suicidal Thoughts | Suicidal Ideation Signs & Symptoms

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If your child is struggling with suicidal feelings, or you’re worried they might be, read our advice on how to support them and places you can get help.

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If you are feeling suicidal or having suicidal thoughts, Shout 85258 is a place to go if you’re struggling to cope. We provide free, 24/7, confidential mental health text line support in the UK.

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Calm Harm is an award-winning app funded by teenage mental health charity stem4, to help manage the urge to self-harm. It was developed by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nihara Krause MBE, in collaboration with young people and uses principles from an evidence-based psychological treatment called Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

The urge to self-harm is like a wave. It feels the most powerful when you start wanting to do it.

Learn to ride the wave with the Calm Harm app by choosing activities from these categories:
, , Express Yourself , , and .

There is also a breathing exercise to help you be mindful and stay in the moment, regulate difficult emotions, and reduce tension.

When you ride the wave, the urge to self-harm will fade.

The Calm Harm app provides some immediate activities and techniques to help you break the cycle of self-harm behaviour and explore underlying trigger factors; the app supports you in building a 'safety net' of helpful thoughts, behaviours, and access to supportive people, as well as providing the opportunity to journal and self-reflect. The Calm Harm app also signposts to help.

The app is private, anonymous, and safe.

Please note that the Calm Harm app is not a substitute for the assessment and individualised treatment by a health or mental health professional.

Our app is for young people over the age of 13.

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Calm Harm is a free app to help teenagers manage the urge to self-harm. Available on Google Play & App Store.

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5 things you can do

1. hobbies or stuff you enjoy like listening to music (not something that could make things worse like drugs and alcohol)

2. physical activity like sports, dancing, jogging or yoga

3. talking to someone you trust or to others on our message boards

4. something that give you a sense of achievement, like drawing or doing a puzzle

5. look at a photo of someone who really cares about you.

Focus on 1 thing you're doing right now. Concentrate on your body, not on your thoughts. You could have a warm bath or just lie down on your bed or the sofa.

You can try:

tensing up all your muscles using all your strength and then slowly relax them

taking deep breaths by breathing in slowly through your nose, and then breathe slowly out through your mouth.

Fill your comfort box with all your favourite things. You could have photos of people you care about, inspirational quotes or song lyrics you like, your favourite snacks and gifts from someone you love. Turn to your comfort box when you're struggling.

Imagine things are going well and you're coping. In your mind, picture a favourite place. It could be somewhere real or made-up. Imagine you're there. Create a mental image of yourself coping really well and getting help with what's going on.

Think of a positive phrase which reminds you that you can cope with things.

It should be in the first person ("I" and "me"). And in the present tense ("I am" or "I do" NOT "I will" or "I am going to")

You could try repeating these positive phrases to yourself:

"I am doing really well"

"I am getting through this"

"I have a lot to give"

Or try making up some of your own. Get more ideas on our message boards.

Doing exercise is great for your mental health. It can relax you. And give you more energy. It can also make you feel more confident and help you deal with things.

It's important to find a type of exercise that's right for you. Everyone enjoys something different. It could be running, walking, football, skipping, dancing or yoga. You could try a few different things and see what you like.

Create a space in your room or diary and fill it with pictures or things that you like - the things you feel good about. You could look at old pictures that bring up good memories. Or watch one of your favourite films. You can also use our Art box to create, save and print your own images.

Put on the music you love. It could be something soft and soothing. Or it could be loud and exciting. Whatever you're into. If you're not in the mood for music, try going to a park and just listening to the sound of birds and trees. Focussing on these noises can help block out worrying thoughts.

Everyone has a few favourite smells. So think about what smells you like and try to enjoy them when you're feeling down or stressed. Take your time to breathe them in. Focus on the smell and try to block out your other thoughts. It could be a certain perfume or shampoo. Maybe oranges, toast or food being cooked. Or it might be the smell of freshly cut grass.

Have your favourite meal. Or you could eat something you used to love, but haven't had in a while. Try different flavours and textures. And don't forget to try eating healthy food as this can affect your mood. Check out our advice on staying healthy.

Touching different things can make you feel a connection with the world around you. And can also take your mind off worrying thoughts. Run your tongue around your mouth and feel the different surfaces. Gently touch walls in your school or home. Feel the zip or buttons on a jacket. Have a bath. Stroke your pet. Give yourself a hand massage or feel the texture of each of your fingernails. Exercise or lift weights. Go for a walk or run.

Talking to someone about how you feel is a really important part of getting help. It means you don't have to deal with everything on your own.

But it's not always easy to do. Describing how you feel can feel really scary.
Try our tips to make it easier to talk:

plan and prepare what you want to say

write down what you want to say and practise saying it

think about the main things you want to get out of talking to someone

ask yourself if you want advice, or if you just want to say how you're feeling

try talking when the person isn't busy or about to rush off.

Keeping the conversation going

It's good to talk about a problem. But what if you told someone and it didn't help?

Talking about an issue is often a process. It's not just something you do once.

Telling someone how you feel might make you feel bad at first. But after a few times of talking about it, you could start to feel differently.

And it doesn't have to be new information either. Sometimes talking about the same things again and again can help you understand what you're going through.

So remember, if you told someone how you feel but it didn't help - keep trying. And think of other people you trust who might be able to help.

You can talk to us about anything
Whatever you say will be just between you and Childline. And you can feel safe talking to us, knowing that no one else will find out.

Read more about our confidentiality promise.

Somewhere new

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Other sites that can help:

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Coping with suicidal feelings | Childline

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Learn about how you can cope with suicidal thoughts. Over time, you can start to feel better. And Childline is here with you for every step.

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StayAlive | Essential suicide prevention for every day life

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The StayAlive app is a suicide prevention resource for the UK, packed full of useful information and tools to help you stay safe in crisis.

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If you're supporting people who self-harm and feel suicidal and your services are under strain, you can now provide easy access to wellbeing information, self-help tips and links to support with the award-winning distrACT app.
distrACT is a trusted FREE resource for any health and care provider in the UK - from NHS organisations to universities, local authorities, health charities, and the private mental health sector.

Use the app at no cost to provide reliable health information at scale, promote safe self-care, address harmful misinformation, give options, and direct people to available services - all in one safe place.

Customise the app for your area or organisation (as an optional extra) to increase your reach and make local information more accessible.

Free download

Search for 'distrACT' on your phone's app store, or visit:

The story of distrACT

In 2016, the Director of the Bristol Royal Infirmary Psychiatric Liason Team asked us to create a digital alternative to their printed information for people who self-harm and felt suicidal. Producing and distributing the leaflet was costly and ineffective. It could hold only limited information and went out of date quickly.

Inspired by talking with people attending the local A&E department for self-harm or suicidal thoughts, the team felt an app would enable staff to provide patients with reliable, up-to-date information in seconds.

Their patients wanted a one-stop-shop app that was easy to use, worked offline, held reliable information, and could be customised for local areas. A resource that people could download discreetly and that could become a 'good friend' at times of crisis and during recovery.

We partnered with the Bristol Health Partners Self-harm Matters Health Integration Team and developed distrACT with mental health professionals, people with lived experience of self-harm and suicidal thoughts, and mental health charities. The app launched in October 2017 and undergoes regular review.

distrACT has 100,000+ downloads and over 4,000+ monthly page views. It won the British Medical Association Patient Information Award for Wellbeing in 2019 and was 'highly commended' at the Healthwatch #NHS70 Awards.

distrACT has become a national UK resource for self-harm support and suicide prevention. In 2024, it was the first app to be added to the new MIND App Library. It has been integrated into NHS service pathways as the primary information resource for self-management of self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

Use distrACT to support your mission.

Self-help techniques: Give people instant access to a wide array of methods to manage stress, reduce anxiety, and uplift mood.

Crisis intervention: Provide quick links to emergency contacts and crisis resources for immediate support, while waiting for care, or during recovery.

Customisation: Customise distrACT (entirely optional) with an organisational homepage and local service directory. Customisation allows your organisation to make people more aware of available support in your area and relieve avoidable service pressures.

CUSTOMISE APPS FOR YOUR LOCAL AREA
Intended key outcomes

Through public health eductation, distrACT app aims to:

Reduce self-harm

Prevent crises and suicides

Lessen avoidable pressure on mental health and emergency services

Give people people hope

Facilitate a better experience of care

Who created distrACT

distrACT was co-created by practising UK health professionals together with people with lived experience of self-harm and experts in self-harm and suicide prevention.

Development partners include Bristol Health Partners, Self-Injury Support, Self-Injury Self Help, the University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Bristol, with additional input from other local and national organisations.

Feedback and testimonials

"I'm blown away, it's brilliant. Thank you for helping restore my faith back into human kindness with this non-judgemental app."
User feedback via Twitter (direct message)

"Self-harm often occurs at times of great psychological distress, so it's nice to see that there is help out there in the form of this new app. I like that it's sensitive, easy to navigate, and promotes emotional wellbeing no matter where you are in your journey."
L.T., Public Contributor with personal experience of self-harm

"The app can help people understand why they're using self-injury and then they're better equipped to talk to someone in 'real life'. It's something that's discreet, private and you can access at any time and that's what people who contact our services tell us they want."
Naomi Salisbury, Director of UK charity Self-Injury Support

"The distrACT app is a safe alternative to put in people's hands. So if they're thinking about self-harm or have self-harmed they can have a resource at their fingertips."
Dr Dominique Thompson, Student Mental Health Expert and GP

"This app is professional, well-thought out and structured and is a must if you are concerned about self-harm or feeling suicidal and don't know what to do next. I highly recommend it."
Anonymous app user

"Will definitely recommend to my friend. Beautiful app with extremely useful information!"
Anonymous app user

How the app is funded.

Expert Self Care funded the app's development. The app generates revenue from (entirely optional) subscriptions to local customised pages for provider organisations.

Feel reassured.

distrACT was developed and is regularly reviewed in line with our robust editorial standards and quality assurance processes.

PIF Tick: Certified by the Patient Information Forum PIF Tick, the only independently-assessed quality mark for print and digital health information.

ORCHA App Libraries: Evaluated by the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications (ORCHA) and listed on ORCHA app libraries.

NHS DTAC: The app complies with the NHS Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC), which give staff, patients and citizens confidence that the app meets NHS clinical safety, data protection, technical security, interoperability, and usability and accessibility standards.

How to implement distrACT

Easily integrate distrACT into your service pathways. Simply make people aware of the app. Cost-free, without organisational or user registration.

Customising the app for your local area allows you to add local home and signposting pages to raise awareness of your organisation and signpost support.

CUSTOMISE APPS FOR YOUR LOCAL AREA
Get in touch

Please get in touch with us to learn more about distrACT or to discuss customising it for your organisation or local area.

Page last reviewed: 4 July 2024

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The distrACT app enables organisations to offer trusted information and support to people who self-harm and feel suicidal.

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Calm Harm is an award-winning app funded by teenage mental health charity stem4, to help manage the urge to self-harm. It was developed by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nihara Krause MBE, in collaboration with young people and uses principles from an evidence-based psychological treatment called Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

The urge to self-harm is like a wave. It feels the most powerful when you start wanting to do it.

Learn to ride the wave with the Calm Harm app by choosing activities from these categories:
, , Express Yourself , , and .

There is also a breathing exercise to help you be mindful and stay in the moment, regulate difficult emotions, and reduce tension.

When you ride the wave, the urge to self-harm will fade.

The Calm Harm app provides some immediate activities and techniques to help you break the cycle of self-harm behaviour and explore underlying trigger factors; the app supports you in building a 'safety net' of helpful thoughts, behaviours, and access to supportive people, as well as providing the opportunity to journal and self-reflect. The Calm Harm app also signposts to help.

The app is private, anonymous, and safe.

Please note that the Calm Harm app is not a substitute for the assessment and individualised treatment by a health or mental health professional.

Our app is for young people over the age of 13.

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Calm Harm is a free app to help teenagers manage the urge to self-harm. Available on Google Play & App Store.

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Mental Health Support for Young People | The Mix

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Struggling with your mental health? The Mix offers youth-led advice, real-life stories, and expert support on anxiety, depression, stress, and more.

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If you need help right now

If you feel like you are about to self-harm now, there are things you can do to help keep your mind off it. Watch the video about the TIPP technique - a simple technique you can use to help you in the moment.
If you are in an emergency or worried for your life you should call 999.

Self-harm is when you intentionally cause harm to yourself as a way of dealing with difficult feelings, traumatic experiences or memories, neglect, or situations that you find overwhelming. People sometimes self-harm when life feels hard to cope with.

Self-harm can look different for different people. You might find yourself doing things which are harmful, but not think of them as 'self-harm'. But that doesn't make your experience any less valid.

Self-harm can look like:

cutting yourself

using drugs or alcohol to cope with your problems

not eating, over-eating, or forcing yourself to throw up

spending all your time on addictive behaviours like gaming, social media or gambling

over-exercising and/or exercising when you are injured

biting, hitting or burning yourself

hitting walls

getting into situations on purpose where you risk getting hurt, including fights or risky sexual behaviour

Often self-harming only brings temporary relief. You might also have negative feelings after self-harming, such as guilt, shame or fear. When difficult feelings start to build up again, you might feel like you have to harm again. It can be really hard to break out of this cycle. Self-harming can become a habit and it can be upsetting to think that this is your only way to cope. But there are things you can do to stop self-harming and get better. And with support, you can learn other ways of coping when things feel too much.

People self-harm for many different reasons. Some people find it hard to explain why they do it, but often it's a way for people to let out feelings that are hard to explain or control.

There are many reasons why you might self-harm and these reasons will be different for everyone. You might be dealing with lots of intense thoughts and feelings and hurting yourself might feel like the only way to let those feelings out. Or you might feel numb and want to hurt yourself so that you can feel something.

For some people, self-harm feels like a way to show the feelings they have inside on the outside. It can be a way of:

People often start self-harming due to something stressful or upsetting that is going on in their life that is difficult to deal with . This could be something like:

suffering abuse

experiencing a traumatic incident

family problems like a divorce

money worries

bullying

a sudden change in your life, like a death, a relationship ending or moving school

exam stress or extreme pressure or criticism from family, friends, teachers or at work

low self-esteem or issues with body image

difficult feelings like loneliness, anxiety, depression or anger

an illness or health problem

feelings of guilt, failure, or being unloved

experiencing discrimination against your race, religion, sexuality, gender or disability

These are just examples. Whatever the reason you started self-harming, your feelings matter and you can get through this.

You may not always know the reason why you are self-harming. If you're unsure why, or don't understand the reasons, you are not alone and you can still get help.

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Things can happen in life that can leave us feeling overwhelmed, angry and hurt. Instead of finding ways to express those feelings to the world, we might start to take this pain and anger out on ourselves.

We might self-harm because we have learnt that in order to be accepted or loved we have to be 'perfect'. When we don't live up to this 'perfect' image we can feel like a 'failure'. The constant guilt, or worry about disappointing people, can make us feel like we need to punish ourselves for not being 'good enough'. If this resonates with you, you're not alone. With the right support, you can stop feeling this way, and learn to love yourself for who you are.

Sometimes people make comments about self-harm being attention-seeking. Comments like this can be hurtful and make you feel judged, alone or misunderstood. Those who self-harm actually often keep this private. However, if you do self-harm as a way of bringing attention to yourself, remember that there is nothing wrong with wanting people to notice you more and wanting to have your feelings taken seriously. You deserve to feel loved by those around you and you deserve support.

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Overall, the most important thing which I hope everyone knows is you don't have to go through this alone.

I was only 14 when I started to self-harm. I was never intending to hurt myself. I was doing it for the sense of relief it provided. I felt like the only way I could function and leave my room was if I had that release.

Ways to keep yourself safe now

It's really important to keep yourself as safe as possible and reduce your risk of serious self-injury. Even though you want to stop self-harming, you might not feel able to stop straight away. Sometimes it can take time to find new ways to cope, and that's normal.

If you are unable to stop self-harming right now, make sure you are at least doing it as safely as possible. This means using sterile equipment, keeping your wounds clean, and avoiding mixing drugs and alcohol with other forms of self-harm. You can also call Samaritans at any time - whether you're thinking about self-harm or have already harmed yourself.
If you are in an emergency or worried for your life you should call 999 or go to A&E.

Things you can do to help

There are also lots of things you can do in the moment to help you not self-harm.

When you feel the urge to self-harm building, you could try to:

go for a walk or do some gentle exercise

distract yourself by focusing on your breathing

text a friend and let them know you need them to help you take your mind off things

play music and sing or dance along

hold an ice cube

write down your thoughts

hit a cushion or pillow

tear up a magazine or newspaper

make a self-soothe box

go to a public place like a park or a cafe

You might find the TIPP technique helps to stop your urge to self-harm.

This video explains how to use the TIPP technique to help you feel calmer.

Ways to keep yourself safe in the long term

There are also a number of ways to help yourself in the long term and support your recovery journey.

Talking about self-harm can feel difficult. It is understandable that you might feel nervous to talk to someone, feel like you'll be judged or feel you won't be understood. But talking about how you're feeling with someone you trust can help you to get the right support.

Try talking to someone you feel comfortable and safe with, like a friend or family member. If you don't feel like you can talk to friends or family, you could talk to someone in your wider community, such as a teacher, a school counsellor/nurse, a faith leader or a youth worker. Think about who you would feel most comfortable communicating with and how, whether it's face to face, over the phone, by text or email.

In some communities it can feel more difficult to reach out for help because of certain stigmas around mental health. If you reach out for help and the person you talk to does not react the way you hoped, remember that this reaction is about them, not you. Don't let their reaction discourage you from reaching out again. If you don't feel like you can reach out to someone you know, remember that there are still lots of people who can help. You may prefer to get support from a professional, a helpline or through a charity. Take a look at our list of organisations that can help, and don't struggle on your own.

Speaking to a professional about self-harm can feel scary, but it's often an important step to recovery. You may be worried that you'll be misunderstood or judged, but there are lots of trained people that you can talk to who understand and really care. That's because they speak to lots of young people who are going through this too. They are there to listen and support you.

It is helpful to tell the GP exactly what you are doing and what your worries are. If you need medical treatment for injuries, do make sure you get it. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to go to your GP or hospital for this - they are there to help you get better and it is not their job to judge you.

Your GP will listen and discuss the best options to support you. They might offer you an assessment with a local community mental health team, or if you are under 18, they can refer you to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for an assessment. These assessments are so they can help you to find the right treatment, such as counselling or talking therapy, where you can talk with a trained mental health professional about what you are feeling and ways you can cope.

The types of talking therapy you might be offered include:

cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - a type of therapy that focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and actions

dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) - a type of CBT adapted specifically for people who experience emotions very intensely

mentalisation-based therapy (MBT) - a type of therapy that focuses on helping you to make sense of your own and other people's thoughts, feelings and actions

Find out more about counselling and therapy in our guide.

Sometimes the first person you speak to won't help, but that doesn't make your feelings invalid. If you are finding it hard to get the right support from your GP, you may find it helpful to turn to other support, such as your school nurse or a specialist organisation such as Samaritans. For more tips and advice getting the right support from your GP, including information about your rights as a patient, visit our guide on how to speak to your GP about mental health.

Journaling can be a helpful way to let out your emotions. It can also help you to recognise what is bothering you and any patterns in what triggers you or causes you to feel bad.

Take a few minutes every day to write down how you are feeling. If you don't like writing, try doodling, drawing or recording a voice note. Remember this is just a way to express yourself - there's no right or wrong way to do this and nobody has to see it but you.

If you want to, you could show your journal to any mental health professionals who are supporting you, to help them understand what you are going through.

Sometimes just making small changes to your daily routine can help improve your mood. Consider trying some of these changes:

Make sure you get enough sleep and stay hydrated - staying physically healthy can help you to feel happier.

Take time out when you need to - this could be going for a walk, doing some drawing or relaxing however you like to.

Think of three things you are proud of each day - you could do this when you first wake up or just before you go to sleep.

Be as kind to yourself as you would be to your best friend - think about the advice and support you would give someone else if you heard they were struggling.

The internet can be a helpful space for those who self-harm. It offers a lot of information, advice and support. You may also find that it's easier to speak openly about your feelings through social media, rather than face-to-face. However, there is also a lot of content about self-harm on the internet that can be distressing or make you feel worse. We also know that those who have peers that self-harm are more likely to self-harm themselves. Think about how your use of social media is affecting your mood and what content is best for you. Make sure to only follow accounts that make you feel positive and safe.

Some people find it really helpful to create a 'safety plan' that they can use when the urge to self-harm is really strong. This can include whatever you think would be helpful, but generally it includes ideas of what you can do to distract yourself, who you can speak to, and what else you can do to keep yourself safe. Papyrus have a useful guide to creating a safety plan, which might help if you'd like to create your own. Although the focus of their guide is for suicidal feelings, you can use it for self-harm as well.

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An image of a bendy road titled 'the road to recovery'. Text along the road reads: 'start', 'progress', 'hope', 'relapse', 'second attempt', 'setback', 'growth', 'change', 'calm'.

If you have self-harmed by cutting or wounding yourself in some way, you are likely to have scars on your body from this. You may find that you have a number of emotions and feelings associated with these scars, such as guilt, regret or difficulties accepting your body image. This can be particularly difficult if you are experiencing stigma around your self-harm.

For advice on how to manage stigma around self-harm within your community, take a look at Louisa's blog.

If you're really struggling with the scars left on your body, you may be able to find treatment that can help. You can find information about scar treatments on the NHS website. Scars will look different for everyone depending on skin tone, where the scar is and the type of wound that caused the scar, and this will lead to different treatment options. Not everyone will want to do this and that is completely okay - it is your body and you should only do what feels comfortable for you.

It can be really difficult if you know a friend or loved one is self-harming. It's hard to see someone you love hurting themself in that way, and it can be difficult to know how best to support them.

Just being there and letting them know they're not alone can be very helpful, but it's also important to remember that you may not be able to help them on your own.

Remember there is always support available.

Recognising the signs and symptoms of self-harm

There are lots of different ways that someone might self-harm and this can make it difficult to spot the signs. Your loved one is likely to be in both physical and emotional pain during this time. Here are some signs to look out for.

If your loved one is self-harming by cutting or wounding themself, you may be able to notice some physical signs. This could include:

keeping their body fully covered all the time, even when it is hot, like wearing long sleeves to conceal scars (this is only a sign of self-harm if they do not normally wear long sleeves or clothes that cover the whole body)

having cuts, bruises or burn marks on their body that are unexplained

unexplained scarring on their skin

unexplained blood stains on clothing or tissues

any signs that they are pulling out their hair, for example hair loss or large clumps of hair lying around

Self-harm takes lots of different forms, not just physically hurting yourself. So it's important to also be aware of the emotional signs. These might include:

becoming very withdrawn and talking less than usual to others

unusual changes in mood, such as feeling low, teary or demotivated

making suicidal comments e.g. talking about not wanting to go on

expressing feelings of self-blame, hopelessness or failure

Supporting a loved one with self-harm now
If a friend or family member has self-harmed and has injuries that need medical attention, you should take them to A&E to seek medical help.
The most important thing you can do to support someone is be there to listen. Talking about self-harm is difficult, but having that conversation can help your loved one take the first step to recovery.

Take a look at our tips below for having a sensitive conversation.

Supporting a loved one with self-harm in the long term

Here are some tips on how you can give ongoing support to someone in your life who is self-harming.

Recovery can only happen when your loved one takes steps towards this for themself. You can't force someone to get better. It can be very difficult to see someone you love struggle with self-harm, but letting them be in control of their decisions will support their recovery in the long term. But remember you should always get them medical attention if needed.

You may find it helpful to develop a 'safety plan' with your loved one. This is a tool you can use to help communicate with each other and keep your loved one safe. Samaritans have advice on this as well as a safety plan template you can use.

Speaking to a GP about self-harm may be a scary thought for your loved one, but encouraging them to do this is important so they get the right support. If they really don't want to talk to a GP, there are also lots of charity services and helplines that can help.

This page was reviewed in June 2023. It was co-created by young people with lived experience of self-harm. We will next review the page in 2026. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If you are in crisis right now and want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

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Self-harm | Advice for young people | Get help

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Self-harm is when you intentionally harm yourself as a way of dealing with difficult feelings or experiences. Find out about self-harm and how to get help.

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Shout 85258 free and confidential text support service is there for moments when you are dealing with self-harm and need support to get to a calmer place.

If your life is at imminent risk, please call 999 immediately.

What is self-harm?

Self-harm is when someone deliberately hurts or injures their body, without the intent to die. In general, it is a way of coping or dealing with severe emotional distress and managing distressing and unwanted thoughts and overwhelming feelings.

Self-harm can translate emotional pain into physical pain, which people sometimes find easier to cope with.

It's always important to bear in mind that some people who self harm can also feel suicidal and it must always be taken seriously.

If you are self-harming, you might not have felt able to talk to anyone about what you are going through, and it can feel very hard to ask for help. Asking for support is the first courageous step in finding alternative and healthier ways to manage painful feelings.

What are some of the reasons someone might self-harm?

Focus, distraction or control: wanting to distract themselves or regain control over their minds when experiencing overwhelming thoughts or feelings.

Tension or release of anger

Physical sensation: wanting to feel something physical when you are feeling numb.

Expression or documentation: wanting to express themselves or document strong emotions that they are feeling but cannot articulate. This can often also mean that the individual may want to see the physical evidence of their pain: blood, scabs and scars.

Punishment

Euphoria

Support for self-harm:

There are a number of strategies that can help ward off urges to self-harm and whilst these won't address the underlying problem, they are hugely important in the journey towards safer means of expressing feelings.

Communicate:

Talking to someone about self-harm can help relieve difficult feelings and reduce the urge to hurt yourself.

Text SHOUT to 85258 to start an anonymous, free conversation with a trained volunteer who will listen to and support you.

Talk to someone about what is triggering you to self-harm or about anything that's on your mind.

There are a number of ideas you can try to distract yourself from urges to self-harm.

Get some play-dough or blu-tack: stretch or squeeze it to relieve tension.

Hold ice in your hand - the intense feeling can be a helpful distraction.

Use a pillow or cushion to vent your anger and frustration.

Listen to music you like or watch a film you enjoy.

Scribble on a large piece of paper with a crayon or pen.

Go for a walk to take yourself away from your triggers - being in the open air can be a distraction in itself too.

Listen to music or immerse yourself in Netflix or a game on your phone.

Sometimes leaning in to your problem can help you to be less afraid of it. Allow yourself to experience the thought or feeling and express it by trying the following:

Use plasticine, crayons, pens, paint or collage materials to make artwork to express your feelings. Creativity helps us to see things from a different perspective.

Write down thoughts and feelings that are distressing you on a piece of paper; crumple the page up, rip it up and throw it out as a way to rid yourself of those thoughts and feelings.

Use mindfulness or meditation apps to relax your mind and body.

If you need help with self-harm, our text line is available 24/7. Text SHOUT to 85258 to start a conversation with one of our volunteers.

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The free Shout 85258 text support service is there for moments when you are dealing with self-harm and need support to get to a calmer place. If your life is at imminent risk, please call 999 immediately.

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Mental Health Support for Young People | The Mix

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Struggling with your mental health? The Mix offers youth-led advice, real-life stories, and expert support on anxiety, depression, stress, and more.

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Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement.

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Additional support

If you n one-to-one and group sessions with a bereavement support worker or bereavement counsellor . Sessions are usually delivered at a set time, over a period of up to 8 weeks.

Not everyone will need additional bereavement support or counselling . However, if you feel you are really struggling or have experienced severe, traumatic and/or multiple bereavements, or if you have complex personal circumstances, we encourage you to submit an enquiry. Someone from our team will then assess your individual circumstances and make a recommendation about the level of support you need.

Due to high demand, there is currently a waiting list for additional support. In the meantime, you can still get great support by reaching out to our bereavement support workers over live chat, email, phone or text.

You will need to be aged 13 or over to submit an additional support enquiry. If you are aged 12 or under, please ask a trusted adult to support you with your enquiry.

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If you're a grieving young person aged 25 or under, we're here to help with information, on-demand services, bereavement support and counselling.

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We're here to help you no matter how long you've been grieving. Learn more about our different bereavement support services here.

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If you have been affected by the recent devastating events in the news, please read our useful guides or don't hesitate to reach out and call our helpline on 0808 802 0111 from 9am - 9pm weekdays.

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One child in every UK classroom will experience the death of someone close by the time they reach 16 years old. Grief Encounter is here to help with the confusion, fear, loneliness and pain, providing a lifeline to children and young people to cope with free, immediate, one-to-one support.

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Hope Again - Young people coping with bereavement and living after loss. A website from Cruse Bereavement.

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Grief is the feeling you have when you’re going through a loss. Usually, people feel grief after a person or animal dies, but not always. People can also experience grief when nobody has died.

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Loss, bereavement and change is something that will affect us all at some point in our lives. Find out more about how to manage grief and what support is available.

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