Writing about Self-Harm?

[Megson]

As a recovering cutter (around 50 days clean), I know a lot about the subject of self-harm. I'm writing a story, and I plan to make one of the characters self-harm. But I'm worried.

First of all, I know it'll be triggering for ME. But I can handle triggers very well at this point, so I'm not too worried about myself.
I AM worried, however, about triggering people who read my story. I post these stories online and I have quite a few readers. I have no clue about whether any of them cut or not, but the possibility is always there.

How should I go about writing it? Any tips and pointers? Is the subject too sensitive to go into terrible detail about? Or should I take it as an opportunity to raise awareness about the subject, in detail?

[Harley Quinn]

I think that you should take the opportunity to write about self harm in the detail you think is appropriate. People need educating about what it is and how it can affect/effect someone, and while in this day and age people are more accepting of it, there is still a proportion that doesn't. If writing the story helps other people going through the same problem, it's beneficial.

[VictoriaGotaSecret]

i dont think anyone will cut because of your writing unless they already do.

[xDarkAngelx]

I think that you should take the opportunity to write about self harm in the detail you think is appropriate. People need educating about what it is and how it can affect/effect someone, and while in this day and age people are more accepting of it, there is still a proportion that doesn't. If writting the story helps other people going through the same problem, it's beneficial.

I agree with this. If you think it will trigger you possibly wait a bit longer until you have gone more days clean. If you think it will trigger other people who read it the only thing I can suggest is to put a possible trigger warning at the very start.

[FullyAlive]

What Siobhan says is completely true, if you think it may be triggering put a trigger warning at the top of each page and of course don't go into any unnessecary details irrelevant to the story.

[Ambrosia]

It doesn't have to have great detail about how the character is hurting themselves in order to get a point across. I do agree with all that is said above, place a "Trigger Warning" on every page that might or might not cause such thoughts. If you're character is about to hurt themselves, perhaps end it right before they do so and move onto the next spot. It gives the knowledge of what is taking place without giving such great detail.