Isn't self injury just a failed suicide attempt?
Self harm itself is not an attempt to commit suicide. Suicide is a means to end your life while self harm is usually used as a means of coping with what life throws at you - a way to survive.

Is someone who self-injures going to kill themselves?
Some people who self-injure will kill themselves. The link between self-injury and suicide, however, is emotional distress - it is not self-injury which makes someone kill themselves. Self-injury for many people serves as a survival strategy and stops them from dying. Of course there are physical risks which self-injury, especially if people take overdoses. However, self-injury on its own does not lead to suicide.

There is a considerable overlap between people who self-harm and those who take their own life however, and serious suicidal intent is thought to be present in up to 15 per cent of those who self-harm. One to two per cent of people who deliberately self-harm go on to take their own life within two years.

Things that raise concern in someone who self-harms:
* the person expressing a clear intention to die, and remorse for having failed.
* planning the episode in advance.
* having taken steps to avoid discovery.
* not attempting to get help afterwards.
* using violent methods.
* undertaking final acts such as paying off bills or writing a will.

What shall I do if I’m suicidal?
If you are suicidal you must get help immediately. Phone a helpline (see Essential Numbers), or call 911 (US) or 999 (UK). Try and get help before you do any damage to yourself.