Black Bear March Prompt: Self-Harm

March is self-harm awareness month

Hi Black Bear writers!

I loved all of your prompt stories from February. They were all so unique and that is what I love about prompts. You can put your own spin on anything.

March is self-harm awareness month. To me, this can mean a lot of things. Whether we are harming ourselves through drugs, alcohol, cutting, an eating disorder, or going into debt, it all is because we are trying to relieve some sort of pain.

Because it can mean just about anything harmful, it is more common than we know.

March Prompt: Self-Harm

Tell me your story of self-harm, how you are struggling, or how you overcame in recovery. Here are some questions to get your mind churning.

• Do you cut or pick to relieve pain? Did you stop? Are you in recovery? Tell me your story about it.
• The same goes for drugs and alcohol. Why did you start and why did you quit? Are you still trying to get sober? Did you think that drinking was fun and made you numb but then it spiraled out of control? You might not have thought this was self-harm but in the end, you realize that it was.
• Do you have a family member that is harming themselves? Write about the strained relationship.
• Do you cut meals and calories? Do you restrict food because it makes you feel in control? Are you recovering from an eating disorder but still struggling? What do you do to stay on the healthy path? Tell your story of struggle and triumph.
• Are you harming your mental health by gambling or excessive shopping? Does the fact that you are going into debt cause you to have horrible thoughts about yourself? Tell me your story.

I am looking forward to reading your submissions this month. Please refer to our guidelines if you need guidance.

Or, please ask me. I am always up for questions.

We want your true, raw stories regarding your mental health, your addiction recovery or past, your sobriety, how you overcame, or how you are still struggling. We love informative articles, too, but I always want something personal woven in.

We don’t like listicles or AI-generated pieces. Please save those for another publication.

We are here to support and share our struggles to smash the stigma and offer comfort to others who might be fighting the same fight.

Also, when submitting for the writing prompt/challenge this month, please use the tag “Prompt”.

Hope you all have a great March!