Popular video blogger Matthew Lush, aka Gay God, has posted an emotional video discussing his history of self harm.
In the video Lush shares with his viewers that he used to cut himself on his arms and thighs.
“It wasn’t the fact that it was making me feel better, it just gave me something to do other than thinking I guess. The pain I was causing myself was better than other people causing me pain, or thinking of the people around me who were hurting me constantly.” Lush said.
“I don’t believe that self harming yourself is a good thing, and I don’t believe that it helps in the long run, because it never helped me.” Lush said, “It helped me for a split second and made me feel better. it was only a temporary solution to the problem.”
Lush said that self harm should not be a choice. Lush posted the video earlier this week noting that it was World Suicide Prevention Day.
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Youth mental health organisation Headspace describes self harming as a range of behaviours that are not classed as a mental illness, but there is a correlation between self harm and mental illness.
Headspace say the evidence suggests that the majority of people who present to hospital following an act of self-harm will meet diagnostic criteria for one or more psychiatric diagnoses at the time of assessment. Of these, more than two-thirds would be diagnosed as having depression.
While not all young people who self-harm or contemplate suicide have a mental health problem, these behaviors do suggest the experience of psychological distress.
Headspace focuses on mental health for people aged 15-25 years of age. Find out where the nearest centre is.
If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, support and counselling are available;
Lifeline: 13 11 14
beyondblue: 
1300 22 4636 / beyondblue.org.au
QLife: 1800 184 527 FREE (Free) / qlife.org.au
(QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTI people)
