Always

People beat addictions every day.
The package of cigarettes goes untouched.
A bottle of alcohol is tossed in the trash unopened.
The anorexic girl takes a bite of food.
A man resists the urge to take drugs.

Self harm is just as much of an addiction.

There is an actual scientific explanation for it. When you cut or burn yourself your body releases chemicals that actually give you a natural high. The chemicals that your body releases are the same ones that are contained in the drug cocaine, and the ones your body releases when you exercise.
Of course, the high you get is somewhat different. You don't get high as you see in movies. Instead, when you get this high from self harm, it makes you feel better. You feel good. You feel like you can handle it. You feel like you can survive whatever it is that's making you hurt yourself in the first place. However, just like cocaine, it's an addiction. A physical addiction. Once you cut or burn yourself once, you want to do it again.

The good news, though?

Addictions can be broken.

It's true. It's hard to break addictions. It's really, really, really stinking hard. You want to hurt yourself again to feel that rush of hope. You want to cut yourself to feel emotion.

But you can break it.

I have faith in you. Life is never as bad as it seems. You're never as hopeless as you think you are. There is always something to encourage you to stop cutting, or burning or whatever. There always is. I know so many people who have been able to stop. It's not easy, and we all know that. But you can do it, nevertheless. You can always do something about it.

Always.