An expression I've come across a lot lately, is "They're fake and are just doing it for attention." It is a phrase that many are familiar with and is applied to those who self-harm. But the reality is that there are no such things as "fakes" when it comes to self-harm.
Self-harm is self-harm. It doesn't matter why you're doing it. You are intentionally injuring yourself. Whether someone does it for attention or whether they experienced some traumatic event doesn't matter. Everyone needs help from those who are willing.
From someone who has struggled with self-harm for the past 18 months or so, there are no "fakes". The reasons I do it are just as significant and matter just as much as the next person's. There are no "fake" people. People need to wake up and step out of their arrogance to see that people who self-harm need help. That's what's important. Knowing why they do it can be helpful in trying to assist someone in quitting, but should be a reason to declare someone "fake" or "unreal". The phrase "They're fake and are just doing it for attention" should be stripped from our vernacular altogether.