Self Harm

Self-harm means harming yourself as a way of dealing with emotional distress. Sometimes distressing problems may feel like they will never go away. It can seem that things will never get better. This can be a lonely place to be. Some people use self-harm as a way to try to escape from or deal with pain or stress that they find difficult to tolerate in their lives.

If self-harm is something you use as a way of dealing with emotional pain, there is support available to help you find other ways of coping.

If you have self-harmed or you are thinking of self-harming, you can get help from:

• A G.P.
Locate a local family doctor (G.P.) or health centre by visiting the ie online service finder. Contact a G.P. Out of Hours Serviceif it’s late in the evening, night time or the weekend.  G.P.s are also listed under ‘General Practitioners’ in the Golden Pages. Find out how a G.P. can offer support for mental health problems.
• Hospital services
Go to or contact the Emergency Department of your nearest general hospital if you have self harmed and need medical attention. Hospitals are listed on the ie online service finder. You can also contact the emergency services by calling 999 or 112.
• S.E. Mental health services 
If you have been (or are currently) supported by a mental health team, go to the Emergency Department or contact the service you are attending and ask for an appointment as soon as possible.
• Counselling 
Pieta House offer support and counselling. A G.P. can recommend counselling services in your area. These might include free, low cost or private options.
• Listening service
Samaritans is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone struggling to cope with self-harming behaviour. For confidential, non-judgemental support please free call 116 123 in the Republic of Ireland, email jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.ie for details of the nearest branch.