The butterfly project.

I am not a cutter but I know many who are and who have been. Self harm is a way for people to let go of the pain they feel inside that gets too strong (and many other reasons). And there are many different types of self harm. So I want to share a little something called The Butterfly Project. I do not know who started this but I believe it can work.

The rules for the butterfly project are pretty simple;
One: When you feel like you want to cut get a pen or sharpie and draw a butterfly on yourself.
Two: Name the butterfly after a loved one or someone who really wants you to get better.
Three: You MUST let the butterfly fade naturally. No scrubbing it off.
Four: If you cut before the butterfly is gone, you've killed it. If you don’t cut, it lives.
Five: If you have more than one butterfly, cutting kills all of them.
Six: Another person may draw them on you. These butterflies are extra special.
Seven: Even if you don’t cut, feel free to draw a butterfly anyway, to show your support. 

The other day I was at the train station waiting for my train, I decided to go to the toilet, a girl came in and something didn’t seem right, as I was washing my hands a little voice came from the cubical asking for toilet paper as her arm was bleeding, I instantly asked how bad it was and if she needed help. A 14year old girl came out of the cubical and she had blood all over her white shirt and jeans, my eyes froze to her arm where the bleeding was.

I had never seen anything like it, she was clearly a self-harmer, her hole left arm was completely red and bruised from previous small sliced cuts she had done to herself, clearly she had cut herself the night before and just bumped her arm and the scabs had re-opened, they were very small cuts but they sure did bleed.  

I instantly wet some paper and helped to stop the bleeding, she was scared so I went with her to the desk where she got many funny looks from people and we got some band-aids.

I then sat with her and we chatted as I helped bandage her arm. I then noticed she had cuts all over her body. My heart went out to this young girl. We chatted about many things, manically depressed she said she was, no surprise. She was a sweet girl, just very sad and lost. During the bandaging I told her about the butterfly project and asked if it would be okay for me to draw a butterfly on her arm and sign my name to it. She agreed and all I can do is hope and pray that it helps her in some way.

I have seen and know many people who have been cutters, but that isn’t the only type of self harm, there are many. Self harm really is any way that you beat yourself up over something, you could be punishing yourself or you’re just so sad on the inside that you need to physically release the pain somehow, as it is all too much.

Either way if you are a light cutter or a heavy cutter, an emotional self harmer or a punisher towards yourself you need to find a way to stop.

I have been an emotional self harmer and I snapped myself out of that with Gods help, it took me a while and I often come back to doing it, but you need to realize when you do these things and stop yourself, because you will only destroy yourself. Maybe that’s what you want. To stop living, I have helped many through that and still do, and I have lost someone to it also.

But I am here to tell you that life can get better! You just need to give it the chance and change your thinking. I know I know it’s hard and may seem impossible but it is possible. As all things are possible through God! Ask for His help and be real about it.

There is no magic potion that can heal you, but there is a saviour who loves you dearly and it hurts Him as much as it hurts you when he see’s you self-harming. God can help you, just like he has helped me and thousands of others.

But in the end you need to work hard to get through hard times especially depression and similar things to that. And most of all you cannot do it alone, if you are too afraid to ask for the help you need then I pray that someone will come along and see your need for help.

For those who are on the hard path to get through this, well done! And please keep going!

Don’t give up and never give up on yourself! You’re worth fighting for.

There is always HOPE.

"He heals the broken hearted and binds up there wounds."

Psalm 147: 3