Links Page

One day I might do away with a links page altogether, and just put links on the pages where they are relevant.

Please note: I am in the UK, and many of the links below reflect that.

Self-Injury Sites

Basement Project
Bristol Crisis Service for Women
LifeSIGNS
National Self-Harm Network
National Self-Harm Network Old site.
Project Spear
Psyke
Secret Shame Very comprehensive American site, owned by Deb Martinson who is also the founder of BUS.
Self Harm Alliance (now closed, 8/7/04)
Self-Injury and Related Issues (SIARI) Very comprehensive UK site, owned by Jan Sutton, author of "Healing the hurt within".
Self-Injury-abuse-trauma-directory-homepage Sister site to SIARI.
SI—Info and Resources UK site owned by Kirsti Reeves.

Leaflets on Self-Injury

Here I am trying to keep a list of printable or order-able leaflets about self-injury, for people to give to friends and family or to use in Awareness work. There will inevitably be a lot of overlap with the other links on this page (at least when I've worked on it a bit more!)

BCSW leaflets
SHA's publications
Self harm: look beyond the scars, a booklet by the children's charity NCH.
Cambridge University Counselling Service
Health Education Board for Scotland Booklet.
MIND (Can also be bought from Amazon.)
NSIAD documents

Self-Injury Awareness

Mental Health Organisations

Here I list those mental health organisations which do not have a specific interest in self-injury.

Mental Health Foundation
MIND
Mindout—for mental health An awareness-raising site.
See Me Scotland another organisation raising awareness and combatting stigma.
Rethink Formerly the National Schizophrenia Fellowship, now covering all severe mental illness.
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance An American organisation, though they are willing to send info worldwide—I'm currently trying out their mood calendar.

Medication

RxList
British National Formulary
CrazyMeds A rather idiosyncratic site, but it has loads of info and sensible (if amusingly put!) advice.
Reclaiming your power during medication appointments with your psychiatrist, an article by Patricia Deegan, Ph.D.

Online Support Groups

I haven't entirely decided what links to put here. My worry is that I can't vouch for the safety of groups I choose to list. BUS I know is a very reputable and healthy group; things I've heard about some others suggest that they may not be. Caveat emptor.

BUS Web Board, BUS email list and BUS irc chat The latter links to a java version.
NSHN Forum
RecoverYourLife.Com
HealthyPlace Part of a larger community devoted not just to self-injury, but mental health in general.
Broken Smiles
Psyke
LifeSIGNS forum

Suicide

Help when feeling suicidal

The Samaritans Telephone, email and snail mail and face-to-face support.
Metanoia Read this first.
Lost Soul Companion Things to do instead of suicide (?)

Information about Suicide

NHS and legal stuff

National Inquiry into Self-harm in young people.
NICE guidelines. I think these are draft guidelines.
NHSDirect, or in Scotland NHS24.
NHS charges
Your right to see your medical records: see this link from Rethink.
HyperGUIDE to the Mental Health Act This covers the Mental Health Act 1983, NOT the more recent version (which hasn't come into effect yet?), and NOT Scotland.
The Institute of Mental Health Act Practitioners Another site with lots of legal stuff, but again based on the 1983 Act. The "Whats New" page has recent links though.
SAMH have a guide to the new mental health act in Scotland, which will come into effect in April 2005.
Crisis Recovery Unit, inpatient unit for self-harmers at the Bethlem, Kent.
Ward 1A, Edinburgh—one hospital's rather enlightened approach to self-harm and suicide attempts.

Christian sites

I intend someday to add more stuff to my site for Christians who self harm.

First Aid

First Aid Information

I'm still looking for a better link for this section.

First Aid Cafe has a web board forum about first aid.
MedicineNet first aid page

First Aid Supplies

Many self-injurers choose to deal with their injuries themselves rather than seek medical attention, because of shame or because of bad experiences in the past. The suppliers below sell many of the kinds of dressings used by nurses and in hospitals, including specialised materials for burns etc, which are often difficult for members of the public to buy at a pharmacy. Also, even for ordinary plasters and gauze that can be bought anywhere, getting them in bulk by mail is often much cheaper. I have used most of the companies listed, so they definitely do sell to the public, no questions asked.

If you're not sure how to use the various dressings, have a look at Dressings.org.

PLEASE NOTE: By providing these links I don't want to encourage anyone not to get their injuries treated properly, I'm just being realistic. If you think a wound needs attention, go to a doctor or to A+E. If you're not sure, ring NHSDirect. Remember, injuries can have serious consequences, such as infections, amputations, and death.

Scars

I've now created a whole page on my site about scars, which contains all the links below plus more information. Not all self-injurers have scars—that depends on both the method and the severity of the injury and on how it has been treated afterwards. And severity of injury is not a good guide to the person's degree of distress. But for those who are concerned about scarring, I've found the following links:

Information about scars

Scar Information (this site belongs to Smith and Nephew, so not entirely uncommercial!)
Scar Revision, a site from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons explaining surgery to reduce scars.
Keloid and hypertrophic scars, explained by the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (?)

Make-up to cover scars

Red Cross skin camouflage service You need a referral from a doctor for this.
Escentual A UK stockist of Dermablend products, available by mail order.
Veilcover Another brand of camouflage make-up. Mail order to UK. There seems to be a better range of colours than Dermablend has, but I've not tried it.
Boots Boots also stock Dermablend.

Swimwear that hides scars

I bought myself a swimsuit that has long arms and short legs, to cover the scars on my arms and thighs. It's great! I got mine from Sunshell (Australia), although there might be nearer places now. They are marketed as "Sun protective swimwear", so try a Google search for that.