Sex as self-harm.

[hocus pocus]

I really want to do an article about sex/masturbation as a form of self-harm and the feelings surrounding it. I just want to post an outline type of thing so I can sort my thoughts.

So, besides the introduction, I wanted to write in detail about why people use it as a punishment, and how they use it as a punishment, and maybe tips on how to stop using it to harm yourself.

I'll probably post a draft when I have some free time to work on it.

Thoughts? Let me know if you have anything you'd like to see me include.

[MsNobleEleanor]

You don't have to add this, but when I was younger, I beat myself with masturbation cause of flashbacks and wanted them to go away. I skipped school just to do that. You could add that in, school, work, social issues where someone might stay home and masturbate and/or have sex.

You could also intertwine it with sexual abuse if it does?

[Philomath]

I have done this on occasion. It is weird to admit but it happens.
If you need help writing it, I'll be glad to help.
Just a thought...do you think that people that have been sexually abused do it as a means of re-experiencing the abuse because somewhere inside they believe they deserve to be treated that way but since there is not an abuser in their life they do it so that they can get what they deserve?
Like, I do it because I believe I deserve it in a bad way (not always, sometimes I do it just because I want to and like it). But the mindsent when doing it is key with this sort of thing.
I have no idea if any of that makes any sense so if you need clarification, let me know and I will be glad to clarify.

[hocus pocus]

I will definitely include those things. My angle is mostly going to be about sexual self-harm in people who have been sexually abused but I want to mention gender dysphoria because I think that could make someone want to harm themselves sexually.

I think there's a variety of reasons why people use it as self-harm. I would do it to recreate the physical and emotional pain I felt during the abuse, similar to why I'd cut. It was just another way to self-harm for me. I think some people do it because their abuse was painful and they can't have an orgasm unless they're in pain. They might think they deserve it, like you said, or their abusers made that painful connection and they do not like that part of their body so they feel the need to harm it. Other people might force themselves into it to try and show themselves that sex is okay, and some people might be angry. Almost like an, "I dare you" kind of way. I had that attitude for a while and still do sometimes.

But in addition to talking about self-harm through masturbation and sex, I want to talk about regular genital self-harm that doesn't include either of those. I could just title the article "sexual self-harm" so they all fit.

I'm planning on starting a draft soon.

[hocus pocus]

I didn't realize it got that long.

Sexual self-harm
By Cassie (Cassado)

Self-harm is anything you do with the intention of harming yourself. Some common forms of self-harm include scratching, cutting, burning, or bruising. Sexual self-harm is just as common, but it is not often talked about due to the shame or fear of judgement. What is sexual self-harm, why do people do it, and what should you do if you're harming yourself in a sexual way?

Sexual self-harm is physical and emotional, is commonly done through sex and masturbation. People can also harm their genitals without sex or masturbation. A lot of people who sexually harm themselves have been sexually abused and do it for a variety of abuse related reasons. Others sexually self-harm because they struggle with gender dysphoria.

Victims of abuse do it because they feel like they deserve to be treated badly. Some do it to recreate the physical and emotional pain they felt during their abuse. If abuse was someone's first sexual experience, it is likely that their abuser made a negative connection to their genitals. They dislike their body, so they harm it. Additionally, a lot of people become aroused or have an orgasm during abuse and they feel ashamed of that and use sexual self-harm as a punishment. Some people can only have an orgasm when they are in pain, so they use pain to become aroused. A lot of victims of abuse become angry about their abuse, and will masturbate or force themselves into having sex as a way to release their anger. It is kind of like saying, "I dare you to hurt me again." Lastly, people tend to force themselves into sex or masturbation to show themselves that sex is okay because they feel it is wrong after being abused.

Some people force themselves into having sex when they do not truly want it. If someone is using sex as self-harm, they might have sex with multiple people, or they might force themselves into sex in a relationship without having an emotional bond with the person they're sexually active with. People might ask their partner to do particular things during sex to cause them pain, such as choking, hitting, or penetrating with different and potentially dangerous objects.

People also self-harm through masturbation. Some people force themselves into it, others want to do it without harming themselves, but harm themselves anyway. They might masturbate with dangerous objects, or be rough enough to cause damage to their genitals. People will also masturbate "normally" and cut or burn themselves elsewhere while doing it, or use other methods of self-harm before or after masturbating.

It is also possible to cause harm to your genitals without using sex or masturbation. Many people will cut the outside of their vagina, known as the vulva, or insert something sharp or hot to harm themselves. Inserting toxic chemicals is also a way people harm themselves sexually. People often find different ways of harming their penis, nipples, or anus as well.

Children who have been abused will also harm themselves in the ways mentioned above. Many children do it as a punishment, a way to escape the flashbacks, or as a way to please their abusers. Many children will penetrate themselves with their toys, or with the same objects that their abusers have harmed them with. Children have difficulty communicating, and will do this as a way of showing other people that something is wrong. Children are likely to continue this behavior through adulthood. While people can start harming themselves as a child, they sometimes start at a later age.

If you're harming yourself in a sexual way, seeing a counselor can benefit you greatly. However, counseling is not always available for everyone. Luckily, there are a few things you can do on your own to stop harming yourself in this way.

Exercise your rights. If you were abused in the past, it is easy to feel like your body belongs to someone else because they violated you in a horrible way. It can be hard to find your voice, but you do not have to do anything you don't want to do. Have sex or masturbate because you and your partner want to do it and you feel safe and comfortable doing so, not because you feel like you have to do it. Try not to engage in sexual activities when you are feeling aroused because of a flashback, however. Doing this will strengthen the connection between sexual activity and your abuse.

Make a mind-body connection. Your body is yours and yours only. Sometimes dissociation can make it difficult for you to attach to your personal identity, and can even make it feel like your body parts are not yours. Gently stroke your arms, legs, or fingers, and tell yourself that your body belongs to you. Get in the practice of being gentle with your body. Making this connection can make sexual activity less anxiety provoking and more pleasurable.

Use some affirmations. Remind yourself that sexual activity is completely normal and that it is okay to engage in it if you are comfortable. Tell yourself that you are not dirty for wanting to have sex or for wanting to masturbate. Think of a few affirmations and repeat them to yourself, or write them down and put them in a safe place to serve as a reminder.

Look for alternatives. Like any other form of self-harm, a variety of alternatives might help distract your mind when you feel like harming yourself. If you spend a large amount of time harming yourself, maybe you can replace your self-harm with a healthy activity such as exercising or reading. You could also join clubs or groups that meet during the time you'd usually harm yourself.

Decrease the amount of time you hurt yourself. If you're spending a lot of time masturbating or having sex, try to slowly wean yourself off of it. If you masturbate ten times a day, for instance, try to aim for eight times a day, and then six times, and so on.

Sexual self-harm can be hard to cope with, and even harder to talk to someone about. Remember that while it can be challenging, coping with what you're going through is not impossible. If you or someone you know is self harming in a sexual way, seek help or try some of the self-help techniques listed above.

[coolkid98]

Here are a few edits Cassie.

Sexual self-harm
By Cassie (Cassado)

Self-harm is anything you do with the intention of harming yourself. Some common forms of self-harm include scratching, cutting, burning, or bruising. Sexual self-harm is just as common, but it is not often talked about due to the shame or fear of judgement. What is sexual self-harm, why do people do it, and what should you do if you're harming yourself in a sexual way? [Jenny: Is this last sentence supposed to be at the start of the next paragraph?]

Sexual self-harm is physical and emotional, is commonly done through sex and masturbation. People can also harm their genitals without sex or masturbation. A lot of people who sexually harm themselves have been sexually abused and do it for a variety of abuse related reasons. Others sexually self-harm because they struggle with gender dysphoria.

Victims of abuse do it because they feel like they deserve to be treated badly. Some do it to recreate the physical and emotional pain that they felt during their abuse. If abuse was someone's first sexual experience, it is likely that their abuser made a negative connection to their genitals. They dislike their body, so they harm it. Additionally, a lot of people become aroused or have an orgasm during abuse and they feel ashamed of that and use sexual self-harm as a punishment. Some people can only have an orgasm when they are in pain, so they use pain to become aroused. A lot of victims of abuse become angry about their abuse, and will masturbate or force themselves into having sex as a way to release their anger. It is kind of like saying, "I dare you to hurt me again." Lastly, people tend to force themselves into sex or masturbation to show themselves that sex is okay because they feel it is wrong after being abused.

Some people force themselves into having sex when they do not truly want it. If someone is using sex as self-harm, they might have sex with multiple people, or they might force themselves into sex in a relationship without having an emotional bond with the person they're sexually active with. People might ask their partner to do particular things during sex to cause them pain, such as choking, hitting, or penetrating with different and potentially dangerous objects.

People also self-harm through masturbation. Some people force themselves into it, others want to do it without harming themselves, but harm themselves anyway. They might masturbate with dangerous objects, or be rough enough to cause damage to their genitals. People will also masturbate "normally" and cut or burn themselves elsewhere while doing it, or use other methods of self-harm before or after masturbating.

It is also possible to cause harm to your genitals without using sex or masturbation. Many people will cut the outside of their vagina, known as the vulva, or insert something sharp or hot to harm themselves. Inserting toxic chemicals is also a way people harm themselves sexually. People often find different ways of harming their penis, nipples, or anus as well.

Children who have been abused will also harm themselves in the ways mentioned above. Many children do it as a punishment, a way to escape the flashbacks, or as a way to please their abusers. Many children will penetrate themselves with their toys, or with the same objects that their abusers have harmed them with. Children have difficulty communicating, and will do this as a way of showing other people that something is wrong. Children are likely to continue this behavior through adulthood. While some people can start harming themselves as a child, they sometimes start at a later age.

[Jenny: Maybe title this bit of the article as 'getting help if you self-harm through sex'.]If you're harming yourself in a sexual way, seeing a counselor can benefit you greatly. However, counseling is not always available for everyone. Luckily, there are a few things you can do on your own to stop harming yourself in this way, which are:.

Exercise your rights. If you were abused in the past, it is easy to feel like your body belongs to someone else because they violated you in a horrible way. It can be hard to find your voice, but you do not have to do anything you don't want to do. Haveing sex or masturbateing because you and your partner wants to do it and you feel safe and comfortable doing so, not because you feel like you have to do it. [Jenny: I'm not sure what you mean by this sentence.] Try not to engage in sexual activities when you are feeling aroused because of a flashback, however as. Ddoing this will strengthen the connection between sexual activity and your abuse.

Make a mind-body connection. Your body is yours and yours only. Sometimes dissociation can make it difficult for you to attach to your personal identity, and can even make it feel like your body parts are not yours. Gently stroke your arms, legs, or fingers, and tell yourself that your body belongs to you. Get in the practice of being gentle with your body. Making this connection can make sexual activity less anxiety provoking and more pleasurable.

Use some affirmations. Remind yourself that sexual activity is completely normal and that it is okay to engage in it if you are comfortable. Tell yourself that you are not dirty for wanting to have sex or for wanting to masturbate. Think of a few affirmations and repeat them to yourself, or write them down and put them in a safe place to serve as a reminder.

Look for alternatives. Like any other form of self-harm, a variety of alternatives might help distract your mind when you feel like harming yourself. If you spend a large amount of time harming yourself, maybe you can replace your self-harm with a healthy activity such as exercising or reading. You could also join clubs or groups that meet during the time you'd usually harm yourself.

Decrease the amount of time you hurt yourself. If you're spending a lot of time masturbating or having sex, try to slowly wean yourself off of it. If you masturbate ten times a day, for instance, try to aim for eight times a day, and then six times, and so on.

Sexual self-harm can be hard to cope with, and even harder to talk to someone about. Remember that while it can be challenging, coping with what you're going through is not impossible. If you or someone you know is self harming in a sexual way, seek help or try some of the self-help techniques listed above. [Jenny: Maybe add in the hotlines page for people that want to talk to someone else.]

[Philomath]

Hey Jenny,

I love your suggestions.
I have not helped edit an article in a while so I am going to look over the guidelines as a refresher before I come back and make edits (I've mainly seen minor spelling errors).
Cassie--Well explained. Thank you for writing this. It helped me some reading it.

[hocus pocus]

Thanks for the suggestions. I went ahead and put that heading to organize it a little bit but I think it might need more to make it look better. I reworded that one sentence and left it in orange to see if it makes better sense, and I can try to see where I want to fit the hotlines in later. I might just do an "other helpful reads" section, and put them in there.

And I'm glad it helped. There's not a lot on it and I hope it helps other people, too.

Sexual self-harm
By Cassie (Cassado)

Self-harm is anything you do with the intention of harming yourself. Some common forms of self-harm include scratching, cutting, burning, or bruising. Sexual self-harm is just as common, but it is not often talked about due to the shame or fear of judgement. What is sexual self-harm, why do people do it, and what should you do if you're harming yourself in a sexual way?

Sexual self-harm is physical and emotional, is commonly done through sex and masturbation. People can also harm their genitals without sex or masturbation. A lot of people who sexually harm themselves have been sexually abused and do it for a variety of abuse related reasons. Others sexually self-harm because they struggle with gender dysphoria.

Victims of abuse do it because they feel like they deserve to be treated badly. Some do it to recreate the physical and emotional pain that they felt during their abuse. If abuse was someone's first sexual experience, it is likely that their abuser made a negative connection to their genitals. They dislike their body, so they harm it. Additionally, a lot of people become aroused or have an orgasm during abuse and they feel ashamed of that and use sexual self-harm as a punishment. Some people can only have an orgasm when they are in pain, so they use pain to become aroused. A lot of victims of abuse become angry about their abuse, and will masturbate or force themselves into having sex as a way to release their anger. It is kind of like saying, "I dare you to hurt me again." Lastly, people tend to force themselves into sex or masturbation to show themselves that sex is okay because they feel it is wrong after being abused.

Some people force themselves into having sex when they do not truly want it. If someone is using sex as self-harm, they might have sex with multiple people, or they might force themselves into sex in a relationship without having an emotional bond with the person they're sexually active with. People might ask their partner to do particular things during sex to cause them pain, such as choking, hitting, or penetrating with different and potentially dangerous objects.

People also self-harm through masturbation. Some people force themselves into it, others want to do it without harming themselves, but harm themselves anyway. They might masturbate with dangerous objects, or be rough enough to cause damage to their genitals. People will also masturbate "normally" and cut or burn themselves elsewhere while doing it, or use other methods of self-harm before or after masturbating.

It is also possible to cause harm to your genitals without using sex or masturbation. Many people will cut the outside of their vagina, known as the vulva, or insert something sharp or hot to harm themselves. Inserting toxic chemicals is also a way people harm themselves sexually. People often find different ways of harming their penis, nipples, or anus as well.

Children who have been abused will also harm themselves in the ways mentioned above. Many children do it as a punishment, a way to escape the flashbacks, or as a way to please their abusers. Many children will penetrate themselves with their toys, or with the same objects that their abusers have harmed them with. Children have difficulty communicating, and will do this as a way of showing other people that something is wrong. Children are likely to continue this behavior through adulthood. While some people can start harming themselves as a child, they sometimes start at a later age.

Self-help for sexual self-harm
If you're harming yourself in a sexual way, seeing a counselor can benefit you greatly. However, counseling is not always available for everyone. Luckily, there are a few things you can do on your own to stop harming yourself in this way.

Exercise your rights. If you were abused in the past, it is easy to feel like your body belongs to someone else because they violated you in a horrible way. It can be hard to find your voice, but you do not have to do anything you don't want to do. If you decide to have sex or masturbate, you should do it because you and your partner want to. You shouldn't force yourself into anything you do not want to do. Try not to engage in sexual activities when you are feeling aroused because of a flashback, however, as doing this will strengthen the connection between sexual activity and your abuse.

Make a mind-body connection. Your body is yours and yours only. Sometimes dissociation can make it difficult for you to attach to your personal identity, and can even make it feel like your body parts are not yours. Gently stroke your arms, legs, or fingers, and tell yourself that your body belongs to you. Get in the practice of being gentle with your body. Making this connection can make sexual activity less anxiety provoking and more pleasurable.

Use some affirmations. Remind yourself that sexual activity is completely normal and that it is okay to engage in it if you are comfortable. Tell yourself that you are not dirty for wanting to have sex or for wanting to masturbate. Think of a few affirmations and repeat them to yourself, or write them down and put them in a safe place to serve as a reminder.

Look for alternatives. Like any other form of self-harm, a variety of alternatives might help distract your mind when you feel like harming yourself. If you spend a large amount of time harming yourself, maybe you can replace your self-harm with a healthy activity such as exercising or reading. You could also join clubs or groups that meet during the time you'd usually harm yourself.

Decrease the amount of time you hurt yourself. If you're spending a lot of time masturbating or having sex, try to slowly wean yourself off of it. If you masturbate ten times a day, for instance, try to aim for eight times a day, and then six times, and so on.

Sexual self-harm can be hard to cope with, and even harder to talk to someone about. Remember that while it can be challenging, coping with what you're going through is not impossible. If you or someone you know is self harming in a sexual way, seek help or try some of the self-help techniques listed above.

[coolkid98]

[color="Purple"]

Originally Posted by The Bat Queen

Hey Jenny,

I love your suggestions.
I have not helped edit an article in a while so I am going to look over the guidelines as a refresher before I come back and make edits (I've mainly seen minor spelling errors).
Cassie--Well explained. Thank you for writing this. It helped me some reading it.

Feel free to PM me Christina if you have any questions about editing someone's article.

Originally Posted by Cassado

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Thanks for the suggestions. I went ahead and put that heading to organize it a little bit but I think it might need more to make it look better. I reworded that one sentence and left it in orange to see if it makes better sense, and I can try to see where I want to fit the hotlines in later. I might just do an "other helpful reads" section, and put them in there.

And I'm glad it helped. There's not a lot on it and I hope it helps other people, too.

Okay, let me know if you need a hand with it Cassie. That re-worded sentence looks much better now.

[hocus pocus]

Thanks, Jenny. I put the orange sentence in the default color and applied an edit I must have missed before.

[Halcyon]

Very well written, Cassie. Just a few suggestions.

Sexual self-harm
By Cassie (Cassado)

Self-harm is anything you do with the intention of harming yourself. Some common forms of self-harm include scratching, cutting, burning, or bruising. Sexual self-harm is just as common, but it is not often talked about due to the shame or fear of judgement. What is sexual self-harm, why do people do it, and what should you do if you're harming yourself in a sexual way?

Sexual self-harm is physical and emotional, and is commonly done through sex and masturbation. People can also harm their genitals without sex or masturbation. A lot of people who sexually harm themselves have been sexually abused and do it for a variety of abuse related reasons. Others sexually self-harm because they struggle with gender dysphoria.

Victims of abuse do it because they feel like they deserve to be treated badly. Some do it to recreate the physical and emotional pain that they felt during their abuse. If abuse was someone's first sexual experience, it is likely that their abuser made a negative connection to their genitals. They dislike their body, so they harm it. [Haley: Are you referring to the victim or to the abuser here?] Additionally, a lot of people become aroused or have an orgasm during abuse and they feel ashamed of that and use sexual self-harm as a punishment. Some people can only have an orgasm when they are in pain, so they use pain to become aroused. A lot of victims of abuse become angry about their abuse, and will masturbate or force themselves into having sex as a way to release their anger. It is kind of like saying, "I dare you to hurt me again." Lastly, people tend to force themselves into sex or masturbation to show themselves that sex is okay because they feel it is wrong after being abused.

Some people force themselves into having sex when they do not truly want it. If someone is using sex as self-harm, they might have sex with multiple people, or they might force themselves into sex in a relationship without having an emotional bond with the person they're sexually active with. People might ask their partner to do particular things during sex to cause them pain, such as choking, hitting, or penetrating with different and potentially dangerous objects.

People also self-harm through masturbation. Some people force themselves into it, while others want to do it without harming themselves, but harm themselves anyway. They might masturbate with dangerous objects, or be rough enough to cause damage to their genitals. People will also masturbate "normally" and cut or burn themselves elsewhere while doing it, or use other methods of self-harm before or after masturbating.

It is also possible to cause harm to your genitals without using sex or masturbation. Many people will cut the outside of their vagina, known as the vulva, or insert something sharp or hot to harm themselves. Inserting toxic chemicals is also a way people harm themselves sexually. People often find different ways of harming their penis, nipples, or anus as well.

Children who have been abused will also harm themselves in the ways mentioned above. Many children do it as a punishment, a way to escape the flashbacks, or as a way to please their abusers. Many children will penetrate themselves with their toys, or with the same objects that their abusers have harmed them with. Children have difficulty communicating, and will do this as a way of showing other people that something is wrong. Children are likely to continue this behavior through adulthood. While some people can start harming themselves as a child, they others sometimes start at a later age.

Self-help for sexual self-harm
If you're harming yourself in a sexual way, seeing a counselor can benefit you greatly. However, counseling is not always available for everyone. Luckily, there are a few things you can do on your own to stop harming yourself in this way.

Exercise your rights. If you were abused in the past, it is easy to feel like your body belongs to someone else because they violated you in a horrible way. It can be hard to find your voice, but you do not have to do anything you don't want to do. If you decide to have sex or masturbate, you should do it because you and your partner want to. You shouldn't force yourself into anything you do not want to do. Try not to engage in sexual activities when you are feeling aroused because of a flashback, however, as doing this will strengthen the connection between sexual activity and your abuse.

Make a mind-body connection. Your body is yours and yours only. Sometimes dissociation can make it difficult for you to attach to your personal identity, and can even make it feel like your body parts are not yours. Gently stroke your arms, legs, or fingers, and tell yourself that your body belongs to you. Get in the practice of being gentle with your body. Making this connection can make sexual activity less anxiety provoking and more pleasurable.

Use some affirmations. Remind yourself that sexual activity is completely normal and that it is okay to engage in it if you are comfortable. Tell yourself that you are not dirty for wanting to have sex or for wanting to masturbate. Think of a few affirmations and repeat them to yourself, or write them down and put them in a safe place to serve as a reminder.

Look for alternatives. Like any other form of self-harm, a variety of alternatives might help distract your mind when you feel like harming yourself. If you spend a large amount of time harming yourself, maybe you can replace your self-harm with a healthy activity such as exercising or reading. You could also join clubs or groups that meet during the time you'd usually harm yourself.

Decrease the amount of time you hurt yourself. If you're spending a lot of time masturbating or having sex, try to slowly wean yourself off of it. If you masturbate ten times a day, for instance, try to aim for eight times a day, and then six times, and so on.

Sexual self-harm can be hard to cope with, and even harder to talk to someone about. Remember that while it can be challenging, coping with what you're going through is not impossible. If you or someone you know is self-harming in a sexual way, seek help or try some of the self-help techniques listed above.

[hocus pocus]

Thank you. I was referring to the victims, so I fixed that and applied your other edits. I think this article should have a trigger warning to be safe. I know that we have a few articles with trigger warnings, but the warnings don't actually come up and I've only seen them when I've seen people viewing those articles. I don't know if I should copy the trigger warning as seen at the top of some threads, or if I should write a warning of my own. Thoughts on that?

This article has been labeled as triggering, particularly on the subject of rape or abuse. The contents of this article might therefore not be suitable for certain sensitive users. Please take this into consideration before continuing to read.

Sexual self-harm
By Cassie (Cassado)

Self-harm is anything you do with the intention of harming yourself. Some common forms of self-harm include scratching, cutting, burning, or bruising. Sexual self-harm is just as common, but it is not often talked about due to the shame or fear of judgement. What is sexual self-harm, why do people do it, and what should you do if you're harming yourself in a sexual way?

Sexual self-harm is physical and emotional, and is commonly done through sex and masturbation. People can also harm their genitals without sex or masturbation. A lot of people who sexually harm themselves have been sexually abused and do it for a variety of abuse related reasons. Others sexually self-harm because they struggle with gender dysphoria.

Victims of abuse do it because they feel like they deserve to be treated badly. Some do it to recreate the physical and emotional pain that they felt during their abuse. If abuse was someone's first sexual experience, it is likely that their abuser made a negative connection to their genitals. The victims dislike their body, so they harm it. Additionally, a lot of people become aroused or have an orgasm during abuse and they feel ashamed of that and use sexual self-harm as a punishment. Some people can only have an orgasm when they are in pain, so they use pain to become aroused. A lot of victims of abuse become angry about their abuse, and will masturbate or force themselves into having sex as a way to release their anger. It is like saying, "I dare you to hurt me again." Lastly, people tend to force themselves into sex or masturbation to show themselves that sex is okay because they feel it is wrong after being abused.

Some people force themselves into having sex when they do not truly want it. If someone is using sex as self-harm, they might have sex with multiple people, or they might force themselves into sex in a relationship without having an emotional bond with the person they're sexually active with. People might ask their partner to do particular things during sex to cause them pain, such as choking, hitting, or penetrating with different and potentially dangerous objects.

People also self-harm through masturbation. Some people force themselves into it, while others want to do it without harming themselves, but harm themselves anyway. They might masturbate with dangerous objects, or be rough enough to cause damage to their genitals. People will also masturbate "normally" and cut or burn themselves elsewhere while doing it, or use other methods of self-harm before or after masturbating.

It is also possible to cause harm to your genitals without using sex or masturbation. Many people will cut the outside of their vagina, known as the vulva, or insert something sharp or hot to harm themselves. Inserting toxic chemicals is also a way people harm themselves sexually. People often find different ways of harming their penis, nipples, or anus as well.

Children who have been abused will also harm themselves in the ways mentioned above. Many children do it as a punishment, a way to escape the flashbacks, or as a way to please their abusers. Many children will penetrate themselves with their toys, or with the same objects that their abusers have harmed them with. Children have difficulty communicating, and will do this as a way of showing other people that something is wrong. Children are likely to continue this behavior through adulthood. While some people can start harming themselves as a child, others sometimes start at a later age.

Self-help for sexual self-harm
If you're harming yourself in a sexual way, seeing a counselor can benefit you greatly. However, counseling is not always available for everyone. Luckily, there are a few things you can do on your own to stop harming yourself in this way.

Exercise your rights. If you were abused in the past, it is easy to feel like your body belongs to someone else because they violated you in a horrible way. It can be hard to find your voice, but you do not have to do anything you don't want to do. If you decide to have sex or masturbate, you should do it because you and your partner want to. You shouldn't force yourself into anything you do not want to do. Try not to engage in sexual activities when you are feeling aroused because of a flashback, however, as doing this will strengthen the connection between sexual activity and your abuse.

Make a mind-body connection. Your body is yours and yours only. Sometimes dissociation can make it difficult for you to attach to your personal identity, and can even make it feel like your body parts are not yours. Gently stroke your arms, legs, or fingers, and tell yourself that your body belongs to you. Get in the practice of being gentle with your body. Making this connection can make sexual activity less anxiety provoking and more pleasurable.

Use some affirmations. Remind yourself that sexual activity is completely normal and that it is okay to engage in it if you are comfortable. Tell yourself that you are not dirty for wanting to have sex or for wanting to masturbate. Think of a few affirmations and repeat them to yourself, or write them down and put them in a safe place to serve as a reminder.

Look for alternatives. Like any other form of self-harm, a variety of alternatives might help distract your mind when you feel like harming yourself. If you spend a large amount of time harming yourself, maybe you can replace your self-harm with a healthy activity such as exercising or reading. You could also join clubs or groups that meet during the time you'd usually harm yourself.

Decrease the amount of time you hurt yourself. If you're spending a lot of time masturbating or having sex, try to slowly wean yourself off of it. If you masturbate ten times a day, for instance, try to aim for eight times a day, and then six times, and so on.

Sexual self-harm can be hard to cope with, and even harder to talk to someone about. Remember that while it can be challenging, coping with what you're going through is not impossible. If you or someone you know is self-harming in a sexual way, seek help or try some of the self-help techniques listed above.

[Halcyon]

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