People

Lea Howard

Breaking the silence of self-harm

For Lea Howard it began with scratching a drawing pin over her skin as a small child but by the age of 14 she was using razor blades.

Lea was bullied severely at school and found cutting herself helped her to cope.  She hid the problem and its effects for years but now she feels self-harm should no longer be a taboo.

The scars though will be with her forever.

Sharing her experiences on the internet led Lea to realise the extent of the problem and the need for more openness and honesty in talking about self-harm.

Lea says:

"Don't be scared, we are not freaks. There's a reason behind people self harming themselves."

It has been suggested that 1 in 10 people self-harm at some point in their lives and the real number of people who struggle with this hidden problem could be far higher, as many never tell another person.

Click on the video link to watch Lea Howard's story.