I was shocked to discover that there are multiple forms of self-harm, and that specific self-mutilation is one of the few. Lip biting, scab picking, nail biting, cutting, burning, eating disorders, the list goes on. Most are caused by anxiety-driven tendencies: picking at dead skin or fiddling with your nails, everyone does it, right? Even still, because there is stress, it is a form of self-harm. Something so small that you would think it wouldn't be a big deal. However, the number of suicides related to self-harm is increasing with each passing month. Because self-harm has become an “escape” for those pushed to the brink, depression is more than a temporary sadness. Three people I know have died from self-harm, two of them were not suicidal. While the usual first thought accompanied by self-harm is, "Oh, they're trying to kill themselves," I speak for those of us who struggle with recovery. Self-harm does not make someone suicidal. Numbers of self-harm are on the rise and it's a problem some wish to ignore. It is a disease; an illness that takes over an entire being and warps the thought process into believing that the only way to feel alive is to prove that there is still a heartbeat. It's a battle and it's been ignored for too long. I'm a survivor. Even though there are others in the world who, without a doubt, have had a much worse life than me, yet day after day I find myself alive and well. Battling self-harm has been a fight for survival, and I'm at least proud enough to say that I've made it this far and that I'm still fighting. In 2010 I lost a dear friend to an eating disorder. He was an exceptional student, he made his parents proud, he had many friends and people adored him, but he purged himself from…… middle of paper……times when wanting to control the pain someone feels results in hospital visits, or worse : suicide. While not all people who self-harm have suicide on their mind, some simply want to feel something other than numb. It is a terrible addiction that consumes and controls the mind. It becomes the only means of escape, or of life. Hurting yourself to feel alive is disgusting. Depression is an illness with no cure, and depression-assisted self-harm is a cancer of the mind. The recovery process is far from easy. Even if progress is being made, there are times when a feeling of unworthiness takes over which can lead to relapse. Noticing the signs and lending a hand could make a difference. This could be anything such as a change in eating habits, a change in normal clothing, blindfolds, lack of social interest, and loss of interest in activities or relationships..