Self-poisoning literally means to poison oneself. This could be by taking an overdose of medication or by eating or drinking something that is harmful to the human body, e.g. household cleaners. Talking to BBC Newsbeat, Amy Ratnett – 28 – said, ‘My first time was a suicide attempt. I really wanted to die, but after that I started taking overdoses as a form of self-harm. I would come home from work on a Friday evening, take an overdose, call an ambulance, spend the weekend in hospital and then go back to work on a Monday as if nothing had happened.’
Founder of Selharm.co.uk, Rachel Welch, says that self-poisoning is misunderstood: ‘In the past, it’s often been assumed that someone who self-poisons is trying to end their life, when in fact it is often a very misunderstood form of self-harm. Whilst cutting, or burning or hair pulling can create a pain to distract harmers from the difficult stuff they’re feeling, self-poisoning does the same, but by occupying your mind on what might be happening inside rather than through pain. When someone presents at hospital needing help after an overdose it’s no different to someone who is seeking support with a self-inflicted wound, but it’s often much more misunderstood, and this is something we want to try and change.’
For guidance and information about anything related to self-poisoning, visit www.selfharm.co.uk
