Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Deyjah Harris sometimes bravely opens up about her self-injurious behavior to her followers on social media. Recently, one of her followers asked why she self-harms.
They asked her “What’s the purpose in making those cuts on your arms?” and made it clear that they were not trying to be rude. The first thing Deyjah Harris did was identify a more sensitive way to ask a question like that.
“If you’re comfortable speaking about it, would you mind sharing what harming yourself did/solves for you?,” she responded.
The 21-year-old went on to say that cutting herself is a way to release anger when she is feeling numb.
“I was doing it because I was sad and numb in a way,” she wrote. “However around 17 (so after Auntie Precious passed) that’s when it kinda changed…it got worse. I do it because I have a lot of anger to release basically.”
Being so transparent isn’t that easy for her. When it got a little difficult to explain, she shared that she didn’t want to go into too much detail and be fed with unsolicited sympathy.
“I want to be honest but I don’t want people to look at me and say ‘omg she needs help’ or try to give me sympathy because I don’t need it.”
She concluded with “Sometimes I’m numb so I do it just to feel something.”
Studies have shown that one in four teenage girls engage in self-harm.
Back in March, she shared words of encouragement to those struggling with the same thing in honor of Self Injury Awareness Day. In her now-deleted post, she told her followers that she would offer them a judgement-free listening session.
“There is nothing that any of you can NOT talk to/tell me about. I told you this was a nonjudgmental and safe space, and i mean that sincerely. although this is only for one day, everyday is a good day to bring awareness to self-harm or mental health in general, especially in the Black community.”
