AmyP Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 A comment from another member has made me wonder about this so thought would ask as internet isn't providing me any answers. What would happen if you self harmed in public in front of people? I have no intention to do so, not a plan, just am curious, isn't really something i've ever thought of before. Does anyone have any ideas what would happen? Is it an arrestable offense or something you would get sectioned for etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourtingPsycho Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 from what i understand and strangely enough ive had the same thought from what i understand someone will most likely contact the police which may possibly section you and then force you to get help but really im interested in finding this out to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael walker Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 you would be arrested and could be sectioned under 2 , 3 or 4 of the mental health act , which means you could face anywhere between 72 hours and 6 months in hospital whether you like it or not , and that is not taking into account the charges from the police for carrying what they would class as an offensive weapon which could in the long run give you a prison sentence , i dont really get why you would want to sh in public anyway it is not something i want people to know about let alone see . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyP Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 god no would never do it and dont want to at all, just wondered as had never heard of the idea before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myla Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 ... i dont really get why you would want to sh in public anyway it is not something i want people to know about let alone see . What if you weren't aware that you're doing it? Carrying an offensive weapon? I get that. But I don't really understand why it is a sectionable offence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourtingPsycho Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 that is a good point since some people lose attention that much they dont even realize it :s so i dont really know if it would be a offense carrying a small object since aslong as its not 4 inch or longer its technically not classed as a offensive weapon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael walker Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 how could you not be aware of shing in front of a group of people , and you could be sectioned for putting yourself and others at risk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myla Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Dissociating could cause you to sh and not been aware of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael walker Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 true but dissociation wasnt discussed , but even so if someone saw anyone sh in public they would phone the police or ambulance and either case would get crisis involved meaning you could get sectioned depending on your mental health Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow girl Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Whether you got sectioned or not I'm not sure about. However there is a clause where the police sort of arrest/section you and take you to a place of safety till you can be assessed by a Dr/socail worker. I think its a section 134, something like that. I have thought about SH away from the house, but not in public - it could only be somewhere where I wouldn't get seen. Sometimes there is just no privacy at home. I've parked up in my car to do it before now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abee.abee1991 Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I did this and the ambulance wasn't allowed to come pick me up unless they had the police. So police came and ambulance followed, police searched my bag for my 'weapon' as they call it, while ambulance people were treating me. As long as I was going with the ambulance people to somewhere safe the police were no longer needed. edit - I technically didn't do in front of people though. I was at a play park and nobody was around until after I did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonelyheartemma Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 I've kind of done it in front of my parents but only with my nails in the palms of my hands. as my parents are a big trigger conversations with them often give me urges. its usually after dinner so without going into detail i have cutlery and a hot cup of tea which are tempting. sometimes it happens when i'm out and someone is horrible to me, usually my mum but sometimes i meet people who are horrible to me. but i wouldnt sh in a more obvious way in public (tho i dont really do it in private either now) because i don't want to make anyone more cross and i also wouldnt want anyone else to see what i'm doing and get upset. lots of people have a problem with seeing blood, i think most people would be upset if they realised i'd done it on purpose. I wouldnt want to cause upset to some poor person who happened to be walking by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucy Posted March 22, 2012 Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 you would get the police and a ambulance i doubt you would be sectioned someone i knew did it later on she was at home Why are you curious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyP Posted March 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2012 as i say am curious as another member mentioned it in a post an its not something ive really heard of or thought of before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadz Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 You can get sectioned under a 136 mental health act which means the police are involved and you need to go to a place of safety either a proper suite at hospital or a police cell until you can be assessed by a social worker and a mental health worker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyP Posted March 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 I think the basic message is its something that really isnt worth doing. Im personally not sure what would bring someone to do it, possibly wanting to be heard, possibly might be an impulse reaction, but is something best avoided Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordsmithy Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 I have done it in public but away from others. This was years ago and I was extremely desperate at the time and doing it up to 3 times a day every day, Although there is no way in hell I'd let someone see what I was doing and be found out as s/h is very private to me and something I wish to hide. So have no idea what would happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audacious Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 I don't know about the laws in the UK or anywhere else, but here where I live, if anybody cared, they'd probably call 911 and get an ambulance or something. You'd be put under form 1 at the hospital which is a 24 hour psych hold, and then after that they'd evaluate you and let you go as long as you didn't have intent to kill yourself...even when I went into hospital for form 1 after a suicide threat they let me go before the 24 hours was up. Lack of beds = not many people get admitted these days even when they need help. I could see the concern by the police for carrying a "weapon" but realistically, a self harmer can self harm using anything they find. It doesn't even need to be considered dangerous...for example you can bash your head on a bench or something (in a park?) and they can't really say you were carrying a weapon. If a person who is self harming wants to do it that badly, really anything becomes a "tool" so those charges can be pretty tough to lay in some cases. I think the police would just want you in the hospital and that's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audacious Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 Oh, and I used to SH in school a lot because I wanted the teachers to notice so I could get help. SH was always private for me as far as at home becuase I knew I'd be in big trouble, but at school I didn't even care and wore short sleeves and everything. I knew I needed help, and nobody was listening to my words, so they needed to start listening to my arms apparently. I got what I needed and got help, but it's not something I'm proud of. This was back when I was 14, by the way. I can completely understand why someone would want to do it in public. To see if anybody around would notice or care...it can be kind of like a validation that you MATTER and that people care about your wellbeing. It's tough to explain. I hope I've helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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