I woke up and automatically started putting on my bracelets before I realized what I’d promised myself I would do. At first, as I started taking them off, I thought maybe I wouldn’t partake in this experiment. However, I knew that if I didn’t at least try to make it through the day with nothing on my wrists, I’d feel as if I’d disappointed myself. So, I took the bracelets off. I did not like how it felt wearing nothing on my self-harm scars on my wrists. First of all, I realized how awful my tan lines were from wearing them on a daily basis. That, at least, made me laugh away some anxiety. I felt as though I was naked and that I needed to hide myself before my self-injury scars were noticed. In truth, it was only a big deal to me. But the big deal did make me feel uncomfortable throughout day.

Whether you currently self-harm or haven’t hurt yourself in years, visible self-injury scars and marks can still bring forward insecure emotions. Some people may use makeup to cover up marks and many others use bracelets or long sleeves as a safety shield. You become so comfortable hiding your self-harm that when you are asked not to wear or do those things, you grow anxious. It’s completely normal to feel uncomfortable when breaking away from something you’re used to. Routines are made to keep our lives on track, but sometimes it is okay to step off of the line for a moment and change things up. How about, for one day, you don’t hide your marks? That’s definitely changing things up.

Human beings are not always the easiest to deal with. In fact, people can be absolutely intolerable. With all the different beliefs and personalities swimming around us, it makes absolute sense why some people are made for one another while others should stray far from each other. Differences in personality traits can cause trouble amongst social groups – including family gatherings. It’s natural not to get along with everyone, but some people push that truth aside. When people start to force their intense personality and beliefs on everyone else, anxiety may rise. At times, anxiety brings forward other mental health issues.

Is suicide an act of selfishness? Many people see that to be true while the one planning suicide thinks otherwise. Those who are suicidal do not believe they are attempting to die out of selfishness. They believe that their death will help the world around them and help free themselves of the difficulties in their life. I know this because I've been there.

Self-harm scars can terrify people who don't understand self-injury. Self-harm scars can cause a million thoughts to run through their brains. Judgments and assumptions are some of those thoughts, and for some who aren’t knowledgeable on self-injury, they may see self-harm scars and instantly believe that the person suffers currently. But that is not always the case.

Sometimes it is hard to stay in one spot for so long. The same old routine could bring on boredom, which could turn into anxiety and frustration. Nobody likes to be in the same place, doing the same thing for a long period of time. While a schedule is good to have, it can become something you are so dependent on that when it changes, you too could begin to change in unsafe ways. Some people do not have the opportunities that others have when it comes to traveling around the state or to other countries. Some people may go their whole life without witnessing other cultures and learning from their traditions. However, if the opportunity does come, jump on that adventure. Because that adventure could be just what you need to clear your head and start a safer life for yourself and avoid self-harm.

It’s hard, especially for teenage girls, to stop for a moment and not care about what others may think and say about them. Girls can be cruel and those who are the cruelest and have difficulties accepting who they are feel the need to take it out on others. For teenagers struggling with self-harm, a dirty look or quiet snicker can lead to leaving class, going to the bathroom and cutting until class ends. I know this because that’s exactly how I dealt with those issues during my teens. It took years to finally get to a place where I could look in the mirror and feel okay about the person starting back at me. I still struggle with my confidence, and most people do, but compared to the struggles of my past – I have proudly come so far. However, sometimes we need something to remind us of our strength and our beauty and music can be the source of strength needed.

There is no easy way to discuss past self-harm. No matter how you go about bringing forward difficult struggles from your past, it is almost always going to be an uncomfortable situation. Even for the most confident person, there is always something that gets in the way of that confidence and, for some, it can be discussing a mental health issue, like self-injury, they must deal with.

Everywhere you turn, you see or hear about CrossFit, Zumba or Mud Runs. Within minutes of scrolling down your Facebook feed, you may see people on diets or cleanses or posting “before and after” photographs. It’s terrific that people are working on bettering themselves in healthy, up-and-coming ways, but it also takes a toll on those dealing with body image issues. By having photographs and messages thrown from every angle, some people may see this not as being helpful, but as a reminder that they continue to struggle. For those who do not have the motivation or interest in getting healthy or fit, these constant reminders can become overwhelming. We know that feeling overwhelmed often leads to anxiety or anger and when you’re at that point -- you must find a safe outlet for those emotions.

Being twenty-five years old, I am smack in the middle of a time when many friends and family members are either getting engaged, married or popping out babies. While I am perfectly content with my job, boyfriend and Miniature Schnauzer, it can cause overwhelming anxiety to those who feel as if they need to rush forward with certain parts of their lives. We tend to focus on adolescents who self-harm because, well, that’s when most seem to struggle with it. However, even though I am unaware of the statistics, self-harm continues to be an issue for many even after high school graduation. I was twenty years old when my last cut was made, but who knows how many people in their twenties are still struggling with the need to self-injure?