Hello
My name is Sally and I am the founder of S&L Self-Harm Distraction Kits. I live in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.
My journey began when my youngest daughter started self harming, at just 11 years old. She was still in primary school. It was one of the hardest things I have had to deal with as a parent. Something I had never really heard of before and something I definitely didn’t think would become so prominent in our lives.
My Story
When a Family Support Professional began working with us, she recommended we put together a ‘Safety Kit’, but with all the trauma and anxiety, I just didn’t know where to start. I didn’t know what would be needed within the kit, and was too emotional to think rationally about it.
Searching the internet drew a blank, and I soon discovered there wasn’t anything suitable or relevant for my daughter’s needs. I just wanted a kit specifically for those affected by self harm.
Fast forward a few years, I realised there must be other parents and care givers who are in the exact same position as I was. Trying to navigate their way around their self harm journey, going through all the same fears and emotions.
After a few years of experience, education and research, I had a vision of putting together safety kits, specifically designed to support the needs of young people who are affected by self harm.
Primarily, the kits are designed to promote the delay and replace strategy, for the safer, alternative methods of self harm, with items to encourage this. The alternative methods create the same feelings but without the risk that come with an injury, but also items to promote relaxation and regulation and suggestions on self care. This distraction kit encourages alternatives and significant reduction in the need to self-harm.
Self-harm is far more common than people tend to think. Data shows cases are rising in young people, with every 1 in 15 now self harming and numbers rising with men in their 30's, although self harm can affect anyone, at anytime. Statistics report that 17% of people will self harm, at some point, during their lifetime. Putting that into context, in a group of 30 people, 5 of them will self harm. That is an awful reality, and so many will hide what they are doing, due to the stigma surrounding self harm, and it can go unnoticed. This increases the risk of infection and scarring.
My aim is to get my kits out to individuals who need them, talk openly and honestly about self harm and share my experience, as a mum, to support others. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope it can be useful for anyone struggling with the effects of self harm. You are not alone.
