How can I find healthy alternatives to self harm?

Talking to people is always the best option. Also, distracting yourself by doing something fun like sports or music can be helpful.

Such a good question! The app "Calm-Harm" has some really great suggestions, but what I like most about it is that it breaks down the urge to self-harm into 4 different possible needs: comfort, distract, express yourself, release. So my first suggestion would be to identify which one of those you're needing as self-harm can be about meeting different ones of those needs at different times. Once you know what is the underlying need behind the urge to self-harm, it might be easier to identify other ways to meet that need. A comfort example: Sing or hum your favorite songs. A distract example: Count backwards by 7s from 972. A express example: Call a friend you can talk about your feelings with. A release example: squeeze a rubber ball very hard. If you can identify the underlying need, you're more likely to actually meet it. And if you don't know, try a few things! You've got this!

Take time to relax and figure out your triggers. Do something you enjoy that is distracting, and if you need to, ice and markers can help if you strongly feel the need to be physical. Walking and listening to loud music can also help stimulate your body and distract yourself. Most importantly, if you feel the need to harm yourself/other it is important that you seek help. Find and tell an adult or someone you know who you trust to get you help that you are having these thoughts/urges. SH is a serious issue and needs to be treated as such by a medical professional.