Teens · Safety
Teen Self-Harm Safety Sheet
Function, alternatives, delay, means
If you self-harm, this sheet is not judgment. It's harm reduction, alternatives, and a plan. Fill it in with a therapist if you can.
What self-harm is doing for me right now
Naming the function is not endorsing it — it's the first step in replacing it.
Release, control, punishment, feeling something, feeling nothing, communicating
Alternatives to try in the moment
- Ice held in hand until it hurts
- Snap a hair tie
- Intense workout — sprint, push-ups to failure
- Cold shower
- Draw on skin with red pen
- Rip paper, break sticks
Delay commitment
One person I'll text before, and how long I'll wait before acting
Means safety
What I'm putting out of easy reach; who's helping me
Not weakness; not attention-seeking
Self-harm is usually solitary coping for pain that has nowhere else to go. Better tools exist. So do people who can hold this without judgment.