LifeSIGNS is the name I chose for our voluntary organisation back in 2002, and now that we approach our tenth birthday, it’s a great time to revert to our original name.

LifeSIGNS suits us really well, as while we are a self-injury awareness organisation, we have a positive outlook and believe everyone can make choices for a healthier and happier life. LifeSIGNS is also made up of the acronym ‘SIGNS‘ which stands for ‘Self-Injury Guidance & Network Support‘ which is what we offer. We don’t advise people, we offer guidance and a network of people offering support via our website and online services.

Lots has changed in the ten years since we started talking about self-injury and self-harm in the UK; larger organisations have touched on SI, local groups are available and new websites have popped up. There’s a wealth of information available online now, which wasn’t the case for the UK in the early years of this century. We believe it’s important for people to hear from professionals who know something about the recovery path, but we absolutely believe it’s crucial to give people with direct experience of SI a voice, and our website is completely written and produced by people with such experience.

We welcome contributions from people who feel trapped within SI, who are fighting the Urge and who are recovering and moving away from self-injurious behaviours. We don’t pretend to speak on behalf of anyone, but we hope that people living with self-harm can recognise themselves in our website, and can make use of the guidance and ideas we provide.

LifeSIGNS couldn’t exist without you – we are unfunded and run by volunteers – we do everything we do for you, because we know self-injury from the inside.

Ways we can help you

• Consider what self-injury and self-harm are
• Learn new ways of looking at your distress
• Try new ideas for reducing your self-injury
• Help parents, teachers and friends understand
• Get online support from our support forum community
• In SI emergencies, Read This First Before You Hurt

Ways you can help us

• Buy an awareness wristband or key ring
• Retweet our Tweets
• Reblog our Tumblr blog posts
• Donate £1

The results show that:

• 65% of you love Facebook, with Twitter and then Tumblr coming second and third.
• The vast majority of people say they can live without Bebo and MySpace.
• Most people think that Twitter and Tumblr are working hard to be awesome and will be ‘great’ in 2012.

This is great for us to know. It’s important to us that we make it easy for you to interact with us – that we’re where you’d like us to be -  and the results show that we’re getting it right :)

Thanks again for your help and we look forward to seeing you on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr during 2012.

The purpose of this article is to provide immediate support and distraction for people who are overwhelmed by intense feelings of emotional distress and about to hurt themselves.

We hope that people will choose to read through the interactive page *before* making the decision to self-injure. As always, we don’t tell people what to do and we certainly don’t judge. Instead we have aimed to offer virtual support, insight and empathy that may help a person during times of acute distress.

We have written this article for anyone who relies on self-injury in order to cope, and we hope that whoever you are, and whatever your background or circumstances, that you’ll be able to relate to our article and find some hope, comfort and distraction in our words.

We know from our own personal experience of self-injury that when triggered the most important thing we can give ourselves before choosing to self-injure is time. ‘Read this first‘ aims to enable a person to give themselves that time and distance between their initial need to self-injure, and their decision to do so.

So if you work with people who self-injure, or have a loved one who hurts themselves, please share our page with them. And if you rely on self-injury yourself, please give yourself a little time to read through our article before you hurt yourself.

Now that we’re syndicating our blog articles, we want to expand even further. We’re looking for people to submit their emotional wellbeing or mental health themed articles to us, for publishing or re-publishing here on our blog.

Your articles don’t have to be brand new – you might already have published them on your own blog or website.

All we ask is that your articles are in tandem with the ethos of FirstSigns / LifeSIGNS – we are very much a pro-recovery organisation so are looking for articles that inspire and promote mental health and emotional wellbeing.

We’re looking for one or two people to contribute a few articles each and every month, but you might only have one article to donate, and that’s fine too.

Your articles will be read by hundreds of people, so it’s a good opportunity to reach a larger audience. Your articles might even inspire more people to leave comments on our blog, so we’d love it if your articles touched the hearts and minds of our members enough to make them want to comment.

Your articles would be pushed out (kinda copied) to our official social network sites, like MySpace, Bebo and Facebook.

Would you like to write for us? Write with us? We only use first names here, so you could remain anonymous; you could even make up a ‘pen name’.

Email Wedge@firstsigns.org.uk

Guidelines

We’d love to publish your articles on our blog, but of course writing for one’s personal blog is quite different to writing for an organisation, and it’s important that everything we publish falls in line with our Mission and ethos. So please bear these short guidelines in mind when submitting your articles:

• No triggering content or graphic descriptions (focus on emotions and reasons rather than methods or severity of SI);
• Keep it positive, e.g. rather than sharing a horrible experience, discuss how you would ideally like the situation to work, and only mention the horrible experience as part of the article;
• Be clear about the difference between facts and your personal opinions;
• Avoid language that might offend (for example many people dislike being referred to as ‘cutters’ and prefer the phrase ‘person who self-injures’). Our audience is wide and diverse, not everyone cuts themselves;
• Don’t refer to other people either by name or in such a way that they might recognise themselves if they were to read the article;
• Be aware that we might need to edit your writing before we can publish it; but we will always check with you first;
• Let us know exactly how we should credit you; your first name? A pseudonym? With a link to your Twitter / blog?

The film acknowledges how there’s a lot to get stressed about at times – with the key messages that it’s normal to feel this way and that help is there if you need it. “It’s OK to Ask” aims to raise awareness among young people about how they can help themselves and their friends get through the most difficult times in their lives.

Led by the Glasgow City Choose Life group, and supported by the Choose Life National Programme at NHS Health Scotland, the project has involved working with young people in North and East Glasgow to help develop the content of the film, as well as get involved in film-making through producing a ‘making of’ film of the process.

“We think it’s important to involve young people in the local community in every aspect of this film’s development, to give them the opportunity to develop new skills in drama, film production and team-working.”
Project lead, Ruth Donnelly

• Watch the film now on YouTube: “It’s OK to Ask”

Choose Life is a 10-year strategy and action plan aimed at reducing suicide in Scotland by 20% by 2013. Launched in 2002, it is funded by the Scottish Government and has been supported and delivered by NHS Health Scotland since April 2008.

Find out more from www.chooselife.net, www.breathingspacescotland.co.uk and www.positivementalattitudes.org.uk

Read more about NAEdrama by opening the Word document fact sheet.

At FirstSigns, we believe that self-expression is crucial in the journey towards health and happiness.

We’d like to invite 5 (or 6) people to start a ‘self-expression on the road to happiness’ Tumblr blog with FirstSigns, and benefit from the support and visits of all our members and web visitors.

We would especially like to hear from people in the UK and men and boys (just because we have lots of girls and women applying already, and lots of people applying from America, which is great).

• We’ll give you an official, custom address (e.g. yourlovelyidea.firstsigns.org.uk);
• It will be totally and completely your Tumblr blog;
• We’ll link to your Tumblr from our home page, so you’ll get loads of visitors;
• Tumblr provides loads of great themes to personalise your ‘look’;
• Tumblr works on smartphones too, so you’ll get even more visitors;
• We’ll ‘reblog’ your most interesting posts, so you’ll get even more visitors.

The project will run for a minimum of six months, and of course you’re welcome to keep your Tumblr blog afterwards – it is completely your blog.

We encourage you to ‘follow’ other Tumblr users, including us, and ‘reblog’ people’s interesting photos and articles. We also encourage you to write a little about your day and what you’re doing to seek health and happiness every day. We don’t expect to see triggering posts or photographs of SI.

Please email Wedge@firstsigns.org.uk with your details.

If you’re a tumblr user already, we’d like to hear from you. Please email info@firstsigns.org.uk

Duties would include:

• Using the ‘queue’ to ensure that our Tumblr blog is always busy;
• Posting links and quotes from our main website - www.FirstSigns.org.uk
• Allowing Tumblr to send some (but not all) posts to our Twitter;
• Following-back new followers, if their Tumblr blogs are not graphic / triggering.

We’d prefer you to be 18 or over. We understand that you may have current or past experience of self-injury, but we absolutely don’t want running of our Tumblr to affect you in any negative sense, so please have a think about how you feel.

Preference will be shown to people in the UK, as we are a UK-based organisation (I know we’re on ‘the Internet’ but listen, we *are* a UK-based organisation, it’s just a fact) but people from anywhere in the world are welcome to apply as we will probably ask several volunteers to join us.

It will take us some time to accept new volunteers, so if you’re impatient to help, and impatient to get started, please don’t apply. We take your safety and well-being very seriously and so things can take longer than you might expect.

Our Tumblr blog is found at http://tumblr.firstsigns.org.uk and of course you should be following us!

Thank you,

Jules and Wedge

We believe that we have to make it easier for people to talk about their emotional distress, unhappiness and self-injury so that it can become, in time, easier to move away from self-injury, to reduce reliance on hurting ourselves.

Thank you for your recent support; you’ve donated to help us meet our running costs and you’ve bought loads of SI awareness wristbands and key rings – thank you :)

These comments are from real people, but we don’t publish surnames at FirstSigns – never have, never will. Some people talk about self-injury so make sure you’re in a good place before reading these comments. Don’t let yourself be triggered.

“Great site, first time I’ve seen Doctor comments better than my psychologist, psychiatrist, Dr and CP Nurse. Dr. Neil here sounds like he knows what he’s doing.  Keep it up :)”
Linda

“I am a counsellor who happened to come across FirstSigns as I was attempting to build a data base of information. I am extremely impressed with your site and will be returning to view again in the near future.”
Susan

“Hi, my name is Amber and I’m 19. I have been self-injuring for 5 years and have been doing pretty well recently. Looking through this website has been very hopeful as well as a distraction from when I want to self harm.

“I wanted to say to anyone who has lived with self-harm that there are people who understand. You just need to find them. But I promise that they are out there. Only surround yourself with those who deserve you. Love yourself and laugh often. I hope the best for anyone who is reading this and is struggling.”
Amber

“I used to cut so much, and my arms looked terrible. I started seeing a psychiatrist and I was put on Zoloft for depression/anxiety/phobias/OCD and my self-injury has reduced, but that was before the medicine’s effects started anyway. I recommend counselling for anyone who is tired of injuring themselves to cope with their problems…”
Jason

“Wow… this is sooo helpful for me: I am so sick of harming myself, and I think this may just be the thing that helps me to stop. You are explaining EXACTLY how I feel. Thanks for all your help.”
Sarah

“Thank you for this site. I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for most of my life, I’m 18, but I think I might finally be able to stop the self-destructive cycles with a little more work. Your site gave me some good ideas. I especially like HALT. When I read it I immediately started free-writing my thoughts and concerns and the sources of my anxieties with tears streaming down my face. It was the first time that I have been able to open up about everything so much. Thank you.”
Daniel

“Hello, I am the dad of a daughter who SIs. When she showed me the cuts I was freaked out but didn’t show it. Now after reading the FirstSigns website and others I have a better understanding. Thank you. I am still very upset but will continue to offer any help she will take.”
Blake

“Thank you for the amazing FirstSigns site. There is a great deal of information to be found here :)”
Kristina

“I am a paramedic in the US just trying to do my part to prevent people from harming themselves. Keep the faith. You guys are doing a great job’”
Josh

“Hi! I’m 63, going on 64, and have a friend aged 22 who has been self-harming since she was 15 – we have discussed the underlying reasons, and she suggested I look at FirstSigns. Your site is helpful, sometimes a bit confusing, as I’ve never met a ‘harmer’ before – but we talk together about it while reading the pages.

“She is, by the way, pleased that I ask her, because apart from her mum nobody has asked, and any peer age friends she had, shied away when they saw her scars and asked what they were – they deserted her. Not very good friends I say.”
Chas

“As things have started to get progressively worse over the summer to the point where I’m on the verge of losing a job that I normally love doing, I know that I can always turn to the FirstSigns website for reassurance. And comfort, too – knowing that I am not the only one to SI; I’m NOT a freak; I’m not abnormal. I’m me with my own coping strategies.”
Jodrell

“I’ve been SI-ing for about three years, on and off. Just found FirstSigns, brilliant! I’ve only told one person and he’s not being that understanding, so this site is a great help, thank you.

“It has also been a support for me. FirstSigns has helped me to add weeks to the time I’ve already gone without SI. Keep up the good work, it’s desperately needed!”
Louise

“I finally approached my daughter about SI last night. It took me a while but I am glad I did because I came to her from a place of love. I wanted to rant and take all knives away from sight but I chose to show her love and understanding. Neither she nor I enjoy confrontation and fear speaking up. I hope that we can walk this path together finding better coping methods and share in each other’s recovery. I love her and tell her this often I am just not sure she feels she is loveable.”
David

“I have struggled with this for some time now. I have scratched and for years, I have picked my fingers and bite them too at times. I didn’t realize that that can also be a form of SI. I am doing so much better, cause I know that doing this won’t solve my problems. I still think that by doing it will take away my pain. I hope to come to this website more.”
Susan

“I am 20 years old and I live in Zambia, in southern africa so obviously I am black and I self harm. I haven’t told anyone about this because, one they don’t care and two, they don’t even know there is such a thing called ‘self injury’.”
Rain

“This is a gr8 site, I love the fact that it is dedicated to supporting people and raising awareness. My life has completely been turned upside down by SI, but FirstSigns gives me hope 4 the future. Thanx guys ur amazing!”
Rachel

Re-publishing these comments really helps us remember why we do what we do, why we run FirstSigns – we do it for you, thank you. If you’d like to leave a comment, please do so below.

• Read even MORE of your comments

Here is a selection of comments from people; we don’t use surnames at FirstSigns, and of course some people talk about self-injury below, so make sure you’re in a good frame of mind before reading these comments.

“I am 44 and I have been self harming for many years; I haven’t hurt myself for a year now and I feel good about that; I am no therapist but I just want to say that there is hope for us and things can and will get better, we all have to believe in ourselves and have faith in ourselves that we are as good as the rest of society.”
TatMan

“It is truly amazing how much good educating people about self-harm and self-injury really can do. It’s helped me in the past and now I wanr to help others. Thanks for all that you do.”
Brittany

“I’m having to go to some stupid class because a few teachers at my school discovered my cutting and were scared. They showed me FirstSigns and it’s quite intriguing, so thank you everyone for the stories and such.”
Reptar

“Great site. Been self harming for years and I’m 27 years old.”
Chris

“I’m really trying to stop but it’s so hard!! But this site really helps. I just want to say thank you so much for the support FirstSigns has given me.

“It’s hard to stop because it’s the only thing I have in my life. I feel broken and weak, and SI is the only thing that helps. But the shame and guilt is to big so I’m trying to stop.”
Emilie

“I bought a bracelet and I bought some for my friends too. I think you are doing a great job with this site, and by raising awareness about SI.

“FirstSigns has helped me a lot and has a lot of good advice.”
Sara

“Just to say. thanks!! My family finally understand and thanks to you I’ve stopped self harming.”
Maisy

“I’ve been self harming since I was about 10 (hard to remember) I stopped completely for about 6 years between the ages of 18 and 24 and than had a succession of bad luck which brought it all back.

“I don’t think i will ever stop permanently as I have been on and off antidepressants and had a shed load of counselling and yet the urge to cut is still there. I don’t cut when I am sad only when I am angry as I am very afraid of letting my anger out at other people.

“I am 28 and have two children. It’s nice to know sometimes that you are not alone.”|
Tori

“Great site, thank you for the information, research, care and devotion. Thank you for support, and non critical help.”
Kimberly

“I am 13 and trying to stop cutting… I cry every time I see my scars because I have 20 on my ankle… This is the best website I’ve ever been to.”
Alex

“Great site, loads of useful information thanks for that. Great wristbands too, cool idea, getting myself some of those! Thanks.”
Bethany

“I have enjoyed looking at your website and I am so pleased to have found FirstSigns. I am a mental health professional of some 30 years and so I have had many experiences of working with people who self harm.

“During the course of my work I have felt disheartened and at times horrified at the way in which colleagues have handled situations with clients who have deliberately harmed themselves. I am so pleased that awareness is being raised about how it really is and what people need when they self harm.”
Julie

“Thanks a lot for the site. I found it especially good to help the people around me who didn’t understand what they were supposed to do about my cutting.”
Palis

“I really like FirstSigns! I am sooooo proud to say I have puckered up enough courage to tell someone about my SI and now things seem totally easier from here! I hope that people who read this will please, please try to reach out because it is the best thing you will ever do. There’s going to be a point sometime in your life that all the cutting in the world won’t help the pain.Thats when you’re going to wish that you told someone and got help sooner.”
Jackie

“Hey guys, one of the old fogeys here. Been self harming since I was 14, so that’s… 14 years worth. man. That’s not good. Anyhow, just discovered FirstSigns last year and it’s been so refreshing to see a positive, uplifting, HELPFUL place to go for what is so often a very painful secret. Thank you SO MUCH. I mean it.”
Amy

“I have been cutting for 10 years now. I know what I am doing is wrong and am now seeking help to stop, but it is hard. I am thankful for FirstSigns. It has helped me and my family more than you know. I hope it will benefit you just as much. Be careful and best wishes to you all.”
Stephanie

“This website is helping the best way it can… see I’m 13 and have been cutting myself since I was 10 no one knows about this not even my family so as I understand that I need help and I dont need to be ashamed, FirstSigns is here to help me… so now I will get help.”
Rebecca

“I love the site… its great to see that I’m not alone… I’ve always felt like I am…”
Jessica

“This site is a wonderful idea and needs as much national publicity as it can get.”
Patrick

“A very big thank you for such a helpful site. I’ve been cutting / harming for some years. It’s great to find a site that offers such great help -  keep up the good work.”
Ewan

What do you think? How do you feel?