A self-harm treatment center can be a good place to seek help and support without maintaining dignity and respect. The decision to join such a rehab for a self-harming behavior that has become a permanent part of life requires courage, strength, and determination. However, doing so can introduce life-changing positive differences that potentially improve the future.
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A self-harm rehab provides a safe and comfortable environment where clients can escape the stressors adding to their burden and serving as triggers to their self-harming behaviors. Most of the programs offered at this facility require clients to remain onsite to truly focus on healing. Such programs take place in a community-centered environment where every aspect of a patient’s time becomes therapeutic. Moreover, such an environment allows patients with the extra power to continue moving toward recovery.
Who Should Join a Rehab for Self-Harm?
Self-harm is not categorized as a separate mental health disorder. Instead, it is a behavior that indicates an underlying conflict happening within a person that requires urgent management. Self-harm can sometimes be a symptom of various mental health disorders, both hidden and apparent.
Plenty of signs confirm that a person is engaging in self-harm. However, remember that it may not be easy to see these signs just by looking at someone, as those who frequently self-harm can go to great lengths to conceal their injuries. Following are some more apparent signs of self-harm that may potentiate the need to join residential self-harm treatment:
- Easily agitated
- Broken bones with no logical explanation
- Spending a lot of time alone
- Wearing long pants or sleeves even when it is hot outside
- Keeping lighters or sharp objects close by
Types of Treatment at a Self-Harm Addiction Treatment Center
Most treatment centers for self-harm conduct in-depth evaluations before determining the treatment options that can appropriately work for each client. The multidisciplinary team, including physicians, counselors, nurses, psychiatrists, and social workers, meets with clients, assesses their self-harming behaviors, and dedicates time to getting to know them. Once the team has gathered enough data and all necessary information, they collaborate with clients to form an individualized recovery plan. A good recovery plan typically includes strategies to assess and manage self-harming behaviors while addressing any underlying problems contributing to them.
Following are some of the treatment therapies typically included in a self-harm recovery program:
Individual therapy
Individual therapy helps patients recognize that self-harming behaviors can trigger feelings of shame and guilt, requiring one-to-one exploration time. Moreover, these behaviors often co-occur with other disorders that some people may not be comfortable sharing in a group setting. Such people can benefit from individual therapy that helps them discuss their concerns privately with a therapist.
Group therapy
Group therapy is one of the most beneficial treatment modalities for self-harm. It allows clients to understand that they are not alone in their experience and provides them with support and advice from peers who know what they are going through. Many rehabs also have dedicated process groups that help patients explore their ongoing issues. Additionally, the psychoeducational groups allow them to gain information on topics related to their self-harming behaviors and use this information to develop new coping skills.
Intensive family therapy
Self-harming behaviors affect an individual and trigger issues in their family life. The family members of such people may feel nervous, depressed, or confused about the ongoing situation and may not know how to help their loved ones overcome this damaging behavior. Most treatment centers for self-harm provide family therapy and services that focus on the experiences of the family members of patients. The aim is to educate them about self-harm, what triggers it, and how they can support a loved one going through this behavior. The rehab also connects them with community-based resources to continue recovery.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a standard part of self-harm treatment, especially for those with extensive self-harm. This therapy equips patients with methods to alter the irrational or maladaptive thoughts they have about themselves, their condition, or the world. Moreover, CBT helps them replace these thoughts with healthier ones to introduce positive behavioral changes.
Dialectical behavior therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, is a type of CBT that helps patients pick up healthy behavioral skills to handle distress, improve relationships, and manage emotions more easily.
Mindfulness therapy
Mindfulness-based therapies help patients live in the present while coping with negative thoughts and difficult emotions. These therapies can also improve overall well-being while reducing depression and anxiety that might be contributing to self-harm. These therapies may include yoga, meditation, reiki, massage, acupuncture, art, and music therapy.
Frequently asked questions
How long does self-harm therapy need to be continued?
In general, treatment for self-harm and mutilation requires treatment for 30 to 90 days. A 30-day recovery program is crucial to set a base for recovery for most people; however, going for longer treatments is always preferable if circumstances allow it. Experts also recommend lengthening the treatment tenure where possible, as certain components of recovery provide much more powerful and lasting benefits if continued for more than 30 days.
What are some common recovery components of a self-harm treatment program?
The following are two essential recovery components of a self-harm therapy program:
Outpatient counseling, including individual and family sessions
Participation in support groups, for example, Self Mutilators Anonymous
How can psychotherapy help with self-harm?
Many treatment centers for self-harm offer psychotherapy because it can help people:
- identify and control underlying triggers of self-injury
- develop skills to improve social skills and relationships
- acquire healthy problem-solving skills
- learn how to boost self-image
- develop skills to manage distress in a better way
- learn better and healthier ways to process and manage intense emotions
What happens when I complete treatment at a self-harm treatment center?
As you approach the completion of treatment, you may feel confused and nervous about taking over the responsibility of continuing recovery. To avoid making you feel burdened and overwhelmed, a good treatment center provides additional support as you transition back to an everyday life full of triggers. Experts continue working with discharged patients and their families to determine the best next steps in their recovery journey. This continued provision of services, also known as aftercare services, can include different treatment components depending on the client's wishes, needs, and requirements. Most rehabs also help clients identify a self-harm specialist in the community who can keep working with them for follow-ups.
What can I expect when I join a self-harm rehab?
Following are the steps you may go through as you get started at a rehab for self-harm:
- Make a call to a self-harm rehab at your convenience, and the staff will get back to you for a pre-screening assessment, usually over the phone
- The staff will explain the admission process while answering any queries that you may have
- As you arrive at the rehab, you will be introduced to the staff members and other residents
- You will have some time to acclimatize yourself to the new environment and make yourself comfortable
- You will go through various medical and psychological evaluations that will help experts determine the best course of treatment for you.
- Your treatment will commence under the supervision of a multi-disciplinary team based on an individualized treatment plan.