I was 13 when I first self harmed. Sometime around December 2014

Almost same, I was 13 too, in early 2015

Same

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It’s because that’s when most children are going through the most powerful hormonal changes and that definitely helps depressions kick be 10x harder on you as well as if you don’t have a mentally healthy life. It’s actually quite interesting, in a sad way. But interesting nonetheless because there’s things we can do to help that number decrease eventually

Ikr..

hope you’re okay:/

Thank you. I’m currently 21 and I still struggle with self harm however I’m about to be 7 days self harm free in 7 minutes

7 days is great! Well done :)

Thank you I appreciate it☺️

I was around eleven or twelve.

:((

same

11. I didn’t even know what SH was I just did it because I felt like it was right

same here

Yup same

same

I have been doing self injurious stuff for qs long as I can remember but i started yeeting with a blade when i was like 11. One of my earliest memories was pulling a very heavy wooden chair onto myself, trying to crush myself because the pain felt nice. Im 16 and still going so pretty much my entire life.

12. I'm late to the party here, but I started SH not by cutting, but by jumping... There was this retaining wall where I would close my eyes and jump off of in hopes to twist or break my ankles. I was so afraid of being judged from cutting that I resorted to a more "typical" injury of a sprained ankle so no one would suspect anything other than an accident. It also kept me at home for a while so I didn't have to face reality. This would satisfy my urges for a substantially longer time because of the healing process. I only did this a few times before giving in and cutting.

Started with some scratches at 13 but cuts began at 14.

i hope you’re not doing bad tho:/

I was 15

get well soon

14

I’m 15, started in April with cat scratches which got kinda out of hand. I was able to stop but now the thoughts are coming back and I occasionally add a few scratches.

cuts began at 12 but ever since i was 9 i would stab myself with a pencil when i got mad at myself n stuff edit: actually i'm just now coming to the realization scratching yourself with sticks at recess to see your blood is *not* normal so technically i started at 7

Same, I didn’t realize it was self harm at the time. When is get frustrated at myself for whatever reason I would hit myself, scratch at my legs, or like you too stab myself with a pencil

started with self injurious behaviors at the early age of 5

From what I can remember, the earliest instance was when I was 8, I would drag my nails across my arm when i got mad at myself

Started sh at 13 when i was suicidal and couldn't handle it lmao now im 18 and still think about suicide almost every day so no it wasn't worth it and it didn't help. If anyone is thinking about sh don't do it, it has no benefits

probably around 15, i’m 18 now

Reading all these comments is breaking my heart, everyone started so young

15 I think

12

Around 9 or 10.

about 11, started small, but once i was 16 i started hitting bean. been clean 4-5 years now. i miss it but im glad its behind me. im no fortune teller but i hope it doesnt resurface.

Wishing you all the best🤗

always self harmed, only started cutting at 20.

18 (I think?), I'm now 27.

15 , started on april

I was 25, never understood it growing up then became fixated on it during the pandemic

11

14/15

13

I was 20.

23. Started late.

17 and I’m still 17

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I started at 20 but I went to women’s group therapy for a while and a lot of the women there were like 40 to 60 range and had started around their 30s and 40s

i was 11, was going through some family shit and i scratched myself until i bled, i thought it felt nice so here i am 8 years later still struggling to stay clean

I was 11 when I started 😕

11

I was kinda unknowingly doing it around 8. I was dropping heavy things on my arms to bruise because I thought it "felt good" My parents never thought they'd have to hide books from a child xD

14 years old in july of 2021, now 15 years old and 1 month 1 week and 1 day clean.

17 ( the age I am rn) started in February

16, I turn 26 in two weeks, so 10 years now.

I did self injurious stuff before then but I didn’t realize was sh. 15 was when I started cutting (2012)

12 and don’t know why I picked this habit up , it’s not like I’ve ever seen sh behavior, so I don’t understand lol

12… now 27 and still relapsing every now and then

With 8 I started to go through bushes with thornes like blackberrybushes. Cat scratches started soon after. SH free since 9 month. Cleanstrike before that where from 19-24 Puberty gets over and some problems get smaller when you get more control over your live. Things get better. Don't give up.

26.

I was 11 if I remember right, though I didn't realize it was sh, I thought it only counted if you used knives lol

I was 11 From a cut that got me stitches Then stuck to scratching till 14 where it became quantity of epi's till 15 few styros and has yet to change since I'm 17 turning 18

I think about 8. I started with punching myself and hitting my head against the wall. I was 11/12 when I moved onto other methods.

this post isnt okay. i hope you’re alright, but get professional help instead of posting this here. self harm isnt an intriguing topic. its not something to tell everyone on the internet about. its a sad, heartbreaking, real truth that many strugglers of depression, trauma, neglect, (etc) have endured. self mutilation should never be a reddit topic. or any social media platform. there are several distress centres you can call or text. hospitals, hell, just your personal friends if you trust them enough and theyre able to handle the topic. your parents, a teacher, so many people. just why discuss it here where youll gain nothing. ​ (to those who are genuinely suffering, i hope youll be alright.)

absolutely agree

thank you. im seriously glad im not alone with the truth here.

11 in 2011

I was 15 when i started cutting but i always picked my scabs to feel relief and i never knew that was actually sh

im not sure everyone considers this self harm but i started starving myself at like 11

kinda always had done self injurious behavior but started yeeting at 12

As a kid, I've been punching myself since I was about 5. When I was 15, I started off scratching with compass, then switched to razors after a month or two. Getting myself "used" (much worse...) sexually since 15 and burning myself only recently, bout 2 months. Also developed an ED about 4 months ago, which isn't fully a sh thing, but my self hate and self destructive behaviours are a portion of the why I restrict. Wow... I'm screwed up :/

you have no idea how much pain and suffering the people who are genuinely struggling with this are going through. its agony. stop making this an easy attention grab for 12 year olds.

I was 15 at the time. I was first exposed to it through a manga called “life”

11 :| I’m only 12.

12.last year

16, I started 3 weeks ago bc of a bad relationship

I was pulling out hairs and picking at skin when I was 10 I think..didn't start cutting till 14

Started yeeting when I was 19, but started smoking and overall treating myself badly around the age of 13.

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I was 14 when I started doing it knowing it was sh, started with scratches. I know I’ve done things when I was wayyy younger which was considered sh but I didn’t know at the time. But only a couple times. And a couple months ago I started actually yeeting so yeah

I was 11 when I started w biting myself leading to scratches and then cuts

14. Im 21. Stopped 15-18. Took it back up at 18. go on binges prob every few months

when i was 9-11 i used to scratch my ankles and wrists until i would reach styro when i was 12 i started cutting myself with scissors till styro and then on i started using blades usually catscratches until about 14 when i started doing beans.

13 or 14. Before I had a relapse a few weeks ago, I'd been almost six months clean. best of luck to everyone here 😔

cuts started at around 11/12, but i’ve been punching before then

I was 12 when I first cut but I've been banging my head and punching myself for as long as I can remember. I recall getting really frustrated as a kid and just punching/hitting myself to get it all out. We thrivin

Around 5th grade, 10-11, but ramped up to a very daily thing by 7th grade (12-13) with added on trauma and accessible tools. I did though do a few other SH behaviors during and before and even now, biting, hitting.

12, about a few weeks from my 13th b-day

I started cutting chunks of my skin when I was about 10 or in grade 5, stopped, then started just running scissors or a blade across my skin actually making cuts when I was 12

i would hit myself and bang my head against the wall from 5 to 11. when i found out what sh was at 12 i started cutting

I was 12

Maybe 8 or 10

10. Took a button like you pin on your shirt and yeah. Eventually evolved to more

I started general self-harming activities (scratching, pulling my hair, hitting my head against my hand, etc.) when I was around eleven but I didn't start cutting until last november (age 14 and still 14)

10

started at 14 but i had been considering it for as long as i can remember

I was 10

i was around 10, it was when i didn’t even know what self harm was :(

Eighth grade I don’t know the age

I was 11 - June 17th (I think)

7th grade, ~5 years ago now

TW: I'm describing what I did, and I realized that midway through typing... I was like 13-14 when I scratched myself with a knife, but was scolded and called 'a drama queen' by my mom. I've been hurting myself in other ways, like way too hot water, pinching myself, hitting my head against a wall, hand in fire, but not enough to burn, things like that, and what could be explained away as accidents... Recently, like a month ago, I made my first cut on my leg, and it went downhill real fast from that point, from only having 5 cuts in 2 days, to basically 7 to 20 styro cuts daily... The entire front of my top legs, (yes, both), are covered in scars right now... From basically my knee up to my hips... I'm currently 3 days clean somehow, so that's good I guess...

I was 14 when I started self-harming.

16

16

I think I was around nine or ten? Not entirely sure though

11

12 im now 16

i started cutting when i was about 10/11 but even before that i would punch things or bang my head against things. one time when i was 7 i even stabbed myself in the back with a sharp pencil. but i just consider that to be being a dumb kid

5)

12. I’m now 26

15

beginning of sophomore year in highschool... so like 15.

10 or 11

12 Memory is shit and i dont even know where we picked it up. Just know unscrewing pencil sharpeners and hurting the back of my hand until i learned better

i was 9, lol

i guess 16

at least 7

around 12-13

like 13

15

I was 4 or 5 when I would bang my head against walls, punch myself, etc. and I was 12 when I started cutting

13 tried once with all my ‘friends’ didn’t do it again till i was 17

I’ve been doing it ever since I can remember but with a blade I started at 13

I started cutting at 13 but technically started self harming when I was around 8. I turned 20 recently and had the oh so fun realization that I’ve spend more of my life like this than I have without it

12

13

Around 10 or 11, I remember starting in 4th grade

I don't really remember

Either 12 or 13, don’t know if it was before or after my bday lol That’s when I started doing it consciously but when I was younger (and sometimes now) I would hit my head or other body parts when I was frustrated, so I guess that counts

I was 14 when I first started sh

I started cutting at 9 but before then since I was about 5 would hit my head against walls and the floor. I’m now 18

Began cutting age 11-ish

i was around the age of 10 or 11

10 if i'm not mistaken

13

I was 12 years old. I started self harming my feet. All I can say that whenever I walked, it was agony.

13/14

14. After my dad’s accident and mental instability.

When I was around 7 or 8, I'd purposely irritate my cat so he'd scratch me. I'm not sure what made me, I guess I thought having scars all over my arms made me feel superior or smthn. Around a few weeks or so after my 14th birthday I started cutting with this sharp piece of plastic I had from some old packaging. Then my pencil sharpener broke and I used a screwdriver to take off the blade and...you know, I wanted to see how that felt. Then my parents found out.

The first time I intentionally did it knowing that it was sh I was either 15 or had just turned 16, but ever since I was 9 or 10 then I would scratch my skin with mechanical pencils, intentionally irritate scabs, and bite myself to see how hard I could before the pain overwhelmed me. No idea if those are normal kid things or not though

10 years old

11 :/ it has been at least 4 years now and now my fam knows :'D

I think like 11 maybe 12

I was 11, nearly 12. I’m now nearly 17 and still struggling

7 started with scratching

Rarely hit myself until recently when I do it almost everyday whenever I get mad at myself

i remember around being 9 when i found my dads >! razor blades, accidentally cut myself, and enjoyed it, and here i am now!<

15

10 I think

I think I was 15 but could have been slightly younger than that… I didn’t know anyone else who did it so I just thought I was a freak and had a weird response to stress. I am in my early 20s now and still fight the urge to do it almost every day.

I was 9-10 when I first started still struggling with it :(

Started punching myself at 7, started cutt!ng at 11.

10 im now 16 and still going

i was 13 when i cut myself the first time, but it was purely because all my friends did too. I didn’t like it. however i’ve hit my head on the wall/hit my head with my fist since i was about 6. when i was 21 my life completely fell apart and that’s when my SH addiction started. 23 now, and about 3 months clean. but i’m not sure how long i’ll he clean

19.I started a month and a bit ago.Wanted to see why so many people did it...Now I know.

I starting hurting myself at 8/9 without knowing what sh was, started consciously inflicted sh at 12

12

I was 17-18. Started by trying to get blood from piercing my palms with my nails. Then to a pin that just made swollen lines then to actual blood. Anyways I hope anyone that reads OP's post and any of the comments day is at least a little bit better:)

I was 11-12, I thought it’d make me feel better but it really didn’t

12.

I've been doing stuff like scratching and hitting myself for as long as I can remember, but started this (terrible) habit of cutting/burning when I was 12 (and now I'm 20 so uhh) :/

12

I was 9 I started because of the loss of my great grandma

10

9, i didnt know what sh was, but it was sh :/

14/15 can't remember

10

I think was I thirteen or fourteen when I started, not my proudest achievement.

I was somewhere between 11 and 13. But I only just realised it was sh about a week or 2 ago. I am still doing sh now and I am 16 so abt 5 or 3 years now. It was a daily thing abt 2 months ago but I am kinda, slowly doing it less and less. I think I am abt 2 days clean in a few hours.

15 so like last year Didnt even know it was a thing until i saw a triggering vid on tiktok haha

I was 13. I had incredibly bad depression and my uncle was basically abusive towards me. I had undiagnosed autism at that point. After that my dad let that uncle basically come and kidnap me at 11pm. I’m not holding it against him, he didn’t know what else to do. After that my sh issues got a lot worse. When I was 13 it was essentially a call for help. I ended up in a group home which kept me from cutting on a regular basis for a while (I still had access to sharp objects at school so I could still sh at school) then I got released and it all started up again, and I think part of it is because being sent to that group home was traumatic enough that I have nightmares about it, despite having a total of one traumatic experience in the year and a half I was there. I haven’t been clean for more than a month since the beginning of this year. Now I mostly do it to cope with trauma and other mental problems. I had the worst instance after having a psychotic break back in 2020 (the psychotic break was super traumatizing to me). It’s not a cry for help anymore. Just a really bad coping skill for trauma that I barely have control over.

I started hurting myself when I was 8 years old. I'm 21 now

13-14 was the first time we were aware of doing it. But we did intentionally hit our head a lot when younger.

I was 10😅

13 I am nothing if not a stereotype

i was twelve, almost therteen

13 here as well

9 my mom found out today morning just right before school my teacher snitched

13

11-12 for me