Why is self-harm a feeling of relief?

For me, it's a feeling of relief because I change my pain to physical from mental. Physical is easier to deal with, so it gives me a sense of relief when I stop focusing on mental pain and start thinking about the physical.

because firstly it doesnt hurt as many other things are hurting us a lot from within.. and as we see the blood or the pain starts increasing we start feeling strong enough to handle anything ..

A few months back, my husband opened up to my that he self harmed. He would take a knife, and play the knife game whenever he was feeling strong negative emotions. He would often blame himself whenever something bad would happen to him, so when he played the knife game. Every time he messed up, the blade would slice his hand. "Whoops, my fault. It's my fault I'm in pain. I shouldn't have messed up." It brought all of his problems down to a smaller level, and it came down to one little game. Taking the tension off of real life. He was basically giving himself proof that he can blame himself. Although, that wouldn't be a relieving feeling for most, it took a lot off his shoulders. I notice this a lot in self harm. It's rarely about suicide and more for projection and attention. Instead of lashing out and hurting others, you hurt yourself. "Can't hurt anyone if you're only hurting yourself" kind of mindset.

Instead of dealing with the pain on the inside, you use self harm to deal with it on the outside. It releases everything negative that you are feeling, but I don't recommend it... It's ruined my life.

Because I think "at least its better than smoking" and i do honestly believe the thought that i think.

Because its a distraction. The physical pain, is a distraction from the emotional pain that you feel. People self harm instead of focusing on their emotional pain because in their mind its easier.

Many people self harm to gain control they don't have in their lives. So self harm acts as their control

What goes on inside the mind of someone who self-harms is that by inflicting some physical pain, some of the emotional pain is released. Self-harming is, however, not a healthy and constructive way to manage emotional pain.

It feels as if a relief because you are giving yourself pain insfead of dealing with the pain that you were feeling

because it takes your mind off of the pain you're feeling "in your soul" if i may, and makes your mind focus on pain you can actually see. It's a way to distract the mind in a way, or should i say relieve it by giving it a palpable, physical pain you can see and feel and understand as opposed to feeling so sad your whole being hurts, but not being really able to see and fathom it.