SUPPORT SIAD

[bella swann]

March 1st is Self-Injury Awareness Day.

The universal color for self-injury is orange. Typically, an orange ribbon is worn on this day, but in the past, SIAD bracelets have been worn. Here is the information on what to wear; please support.

Orange--Currently self-injures in some way

Orange ribbon with one white bead on the safety pin[When you pin it to your shirt or bag or whatever, so it can be seen]--Recovering self-injurer of any kind.

Orange ribbon with several white beads on the safety pin--Fully recovered self-injurer.

White--Has never self-injured and does not currently do so, but understands and supports.

White ribbon with orange bead on the safety pin--Has never self-injured and does not currently do so, but knows a self-harmer and wants to support not only the day, but the person/people's recovery.

The same goes for the wristbands. So, the ribbon on the shirt would be the same, but a bracelet, and the beads would instead be worn on the bracelet.

Wear a white shirt today. If you are one who has never self-injured, I would put the ribbon somewhere other than your lapel so that it can be seen. People need to understand that this is not a stereotype; it is real, and people need to know more about it. I am willing to sacrifice relationships with acquaintances, possibly a few friends, and risk people having a different view of me, but this cause is much more important than any words people can say. I don't want you to feel obliged to participate, so you have to ask yourself: Am I willing to do this?

If you do decide that you are willing, and have never self-injured before, please wear your white ribbon with an orange bead for me. I will be wearing an orange ribbon with one white bead, along with a white shirt.

SIAD falls on a Saturday this year, so I will be supporting the cause during school on both Friday and Monday, for an added statement. After all, self-injury is at the highest percentage in young adolescents. So, since February 29th is the Friday before SIAD, I am posting this.

I want you to help because I know very well that self-injury is very misunderstood, and I'm so tired of hearing people say things like "Hey emo kid, go cut yourself." I'm tired of hearing people ask questions like, "Hey, you're emo, do you cut yourself?" I'm tired of people thinking that the only kids who cut themselves are a bunch of skinny pale posers who call themselves emo. Cutting is not the only form of self-injury, and people of all ages, race, and backgrounds self-injure. Yes, as I said before, I know that I am going to get a lot of people who will mock me, torment me, or stereotype me further because of this. But that's a risk I'm willing to take. Because technically, if the world's stereotype of an emo kid is based on hair, clothes, skin color, makeup, music, poetry and self-injury, I sadly fall into all of those categories just because of the kind of person I am. So, just because I like those things, the world smacks an emo stereotype on me and calls it a day? Give me a break. It doesn't have to be this hard to go through a day without people tormenting you or chucking razor blades at you and telling you to go cut yourself. It doesn't have to be this hard to go through every day and have to endure the people who participate in 'National Emo Kid Beat Down Day'. People need to stop the mocking. In fact, the torture and stereotyping is one of the reasons people continue to self-injure. Sadly, for two completely opposite reasons. One: People who SI often have low self-esteem and are either physically or verbally abused in the home or in school [for adolescents], and two: People who want to be considered 'emo', or 'goth', or whatever self-injury is now associated with, will often go to extreme measures to receive that status. Trust me, I know people like that, as sad as it is.

For those of you who don't think that you know enough about SI, you can look up information about it online, or talk to a counselor or local hotline about self-injury. If you are someone who does not feel able to be so open about your struggle [or support] of such a controversial and stereotypical issue, that's perfectly okay. If you either need more courage, or more information, there's always next year, and the years to come.

Help me spread awareness about this misunderstood and stereotyped issue, and change at least some part of society's non-stop revolution around gossip and stories. You don't have to give SI a bad name--and you can help discourage others from doing and thinking so in the process.

There are many other things that you can do to raise awareness for people who SI--boys and girls, children and adults. You could simply draw an orange ribbon on your hand for a low-key but nonetheless supportive and important statement, or you can do even more by talking to a school official or someone where you work about holding some form of informational meeting about SI, its victims, its effects, and its causes. Any way that you can show your support is appreciated and definitely needed. Self-injury is not a myth, a joke, or [most of the time] a cry for attention; it is a coping mechanism that needs to be lit from the dark depths of its misunderstood status so that people can know the truth.

Most places hold information and help raise awareness about other causes such as cancers--why shouldn't they help raise awareness about others that are just as important, if not needed all the more? Cancers on average have similar percentages of victims as SI, eating disorders, depression, other illnesses, homicides, and sometimes suicide. In America, we support our troops, but we don't understand that many of the previously listed problems are very prominent in the military. Self-injury rates among soldiers has increased over the years.

Wear orange and white and support the many self-injurers who can't support themselves. SIAD falls on the same day as EDAD [Eating Disorders Awareness Day]. Know someone? Support them as well. Eating disorders can be classified as a form of self-injury on occasion.

In the past, black and red have been used to represent SI, so if you are wearing a white ribbon, a black shirt would probably work better.

Thank you for reading this and I hope that you help support SI with me on these dates.

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