“I Won’t Eat or Rest Until I Finish Studying:" Types of Subtle Self-Harm

Written By: Natalie Perez, Funmi Arowolo, Gabrielle Odunuyi, & Ayin Lewis, Peer Educators
Edited by: Faith Dolan

April 17, 2026

Content Warning: This blog talks about subjects related to self-harm.

Introduction

Self‑harm encompasses behaviors in which a person causes physical harm to their own body.  While many may have a certain idea of what self-harm is, it’s important to consider how it may also present via subtle behaviors we overlook. Many of us push ourselves in harmful ways for “positive” outcomes. This may include skipping meals to finish studying, working through exhaustion, or denying ourselves rest to meet expectations. These choices may seem productive, but they place real strain on both our bodies and minds. In this blog, we’ll explore how these patterns develop and why they’re easy to ignore.

How Overstudying, All-Nighters, and College Culture Leads to Self-Harm

How many times have you heard or used the phrase, “I won’t eat or rest until I finish studying?” It may feel like all-nighters are an active part of college culture. If you haven’t pulled one before, you probably know someone who has. While it may be necessary at some point, you will learn better from shorter study sessions spaced over time than from one really long late-night session.

Some students may continue these behaviors out of a sense of pressure or a feeling of not doing enough. Mental health experts have warned that this phenomenon, called “revenge bedtime procrastination,” can have many negative effects (Pinegrove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services, 2026). Furthermore, the negative effects can contribute to self-neglect.

Self-neglect isn’t usually intentional; it’s often the result of low energy, low motivation, or apathy. It includes things like procrastinating, pushing away loved ones, or changing yourself to please others. Many of these behaviors are done out of fear, self-punishment, or to gain control over a situation (Mental Health America, 2024).

Overstudying can also contribute to a harmful lack of rest. College culture and society often send the message that we need to keep going constantly to achieve our goals. Grinding through homework and study materials for hours at a time may look like progress on the outside, but it is more likely to leave someone feeling drained and burnt out. Studying and staying on top of class work is important, but your health and safety are also incredibly important and should be a priority.

Self-harm can exist unnoticed in ordinary habits. We might joke with our classmates about who got the least amount of sleep the night before a big exam, but do we ever stop and think about how that lack of sleep is affecting our bodies?

How Lack of Self-Care Can Lead to Self-Harm.

It’s hard to go through a semester without seeing someone laugh about how they’ve been too busy to eat in a day (similar to the “girl dinner” phrase currently going around on social media, turning ‘unbalanced snacking in place of a meal’ into a meme).

The lack of self-care often can go under the radar. It can be as simple as not wearing a jacket outside, even when you have access to one, knowing that you’ll be very cold without one. These situations are usually minor but are harmful. It may not seem like a big deal to us at first, especially being in college (where only eating ramen for a week, or pulling all-nighters, can feel like a flex). But things like not eating consistently/frequent enough, not sleeping, and even not dressing appropriately or working out too much can be self-harm.

This lack of self-care often comes from negative feelings or limiting beliefs from elsewhere in a person’s life. They may choose not to dress appropriately because they don’t think anyone will care, or they may not eat food until they believe they’ve done enough to “deserve” it. They may be overwhelmed with responsibilities and think that they simply don’t have the time. These behaviors can be very hurtful and even dangerous.

Self-harm of any kind can be a sign of an underlying mental health condition. People struggling with their mental health often experience very intense negative emotions, and it can be hard to find healthy ways to cope with them(Mental Health America, 2024).

Whatever the reason behind it is, the lack of self-care is no joke. It is important to recognize when self-harm is happening and why it is happening.

How Substance Use Can Lead to Self-Harm

Substance use is another set of behaviors that can lead to self-harm. Depending on which state you reside in, the rules on the legality of certain substances are different. You should always check local laws before using a protected substance. Here are some ways substance use can become harmful:

Substances used as a coping mechanism

• Some people may use substances as a way to escape pressures or make stress more manageable.

Overuse of substances

• If someone uses higher amounts of a substance or with higher frequency than is considered safe, it can be extremely dangerous. This can also lead to health problems and may be a sign of addiction.

Under-use or over-use of prescription medications

• Taking prescribed medication out of line with the given instructions can also be a form of self-harm. This includes taking too much medication, not taking enough, or being inconsistent with doses. Mixing alcohol and prescribed medications can also be a sign of self-harm.

This doesn’t just cover alcohol, smoking, or vaping. It may also involve consuming energy drinks more than the recommended amount, which can lead to health problems and trouble sleeping. It’s important to be able to recognize why you are choosing to use a substance, what the effects of that substance are, and how it is affecting your well-being. With education and intentional choices, you can work towards taking care of yourself and your health.

So, self-harm is an expansive subject that covers many different types of behaviors. Even though these patterns are widespread, they are avoidable, and there are effective strategies to prevent harm.

What can you do about it?

If you have been experiencing self-harming behavior, it can be hard to know what to do. Here are some things you can do to cope and switch to healthier behaviors.

You can use the “recognize and reframe” method to change your thoughts and behaviors. Instead of making it a competition of your own body against itself (“I can only sleep when I get four chapters done”), think of it in the way that taking care of your body now is helping yourself to succeed in the long run (“If I sleep now, I know I will be well-rested for my presentation later”). Make sure you watch out for “always” and “never” phrases. Reframe them to be more self-compassionate and realistic. Instead of “I always do badly on tests” or “I’ll never be good at this”, focus on what is true. Focus on specific, actionable things you can work on and see improvements in. These “reframed” thoughts are also often referred to as a “growth mindset. Here are some examples of growth mindset/reframing:

• Instead of saying, “I always do bad on tests,"  try, “Sometimes I do bad on tests, but sometimes I do good on them," or “but I do really good on written projects.”
• When you say, “I get nervous and feel like my mind goes blank when a test starts," reframe by saying,
  "I know a lot of the information. I need to practice staying calm and putting the information to use without my notes.“
• Instead of “I’m not good enough,” say something like, “I have the power to change my opinion of myself.”
• When you say, “This is too hard,” try reframing by saying, “This is hard. It’s challenging for me, but I will do my best and that is enough.”

Here are some more strategies for dealing with self-harm or unhealthy coping mechanisms:

Find mental health support.

Mental health support can help you find relief from self-harm, anxiety, depression, and more. At Texas Tech, all students have access to mental health support and wellness coaching. Visit the resource list at the end of this blog to learn more. We also have wellness coaching and access to online mental health programs.

Utilize support networks/communities.

Talk to a trusted friend or find a community that encourages one another to follow healthy habits. Reach out and contact available resources. Joining and volunteering in your community is also a great way to meet new people and to stay active.

Change your environment to make it harder to fall into old self-harming behaviors.

Changing your environment can help you resist the temptation to use self-harm. For example, if you always end up scrolling on your phone for hours at bedtime, try charging it somewhere away from your bed during the night. That way, you won’t be as likely to spend that time scrolling and staring at the blue light.

Practice new coping techniques.

There is a process you can use when utilizing different coping techniques. First, identify the causes of emotions. (e.g., having a stressful day at work). Next, determine what emotions are being felt. (e.g., feeling frustrated, exhausted.) Then we “feel, process and release” the emotion by using coping techniques (e.g., venting to a friend or going home to rest). Lastly, assess the coping techniques used. Were they useful? Were they healthy? It is important to assess the coping methods you use to ensure they’re helping rather than hurting. Some of these coping methods could include: box breathing, exercise, listening to music, or watching a movie. Some methods may not be good for every situation. If you realize that a coping method may be doing more harm than good, you can practice new, healthier coping techniques.

Come up with a self-care plan.

Coming up with a plan for what you are going to do to take care of yourself can help you to follow through and be more intentional (The JED Foundation, n.d.). What is a self-care plan? Simply, it’s a plan that you can create to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. You may already have some self-care plans. Morning and bedtime routines fit into this. You know that you’ll need to take showers, eat food, and brush your teeth. In a self-care plan, you’ll be building something that will fit into other parts of your day. Here are some strategies for creating a self-care plan:

• Identify your needs. How can you manage stress during the day? What are the things that you need to stay safe and healthy? These can be physical needs, emotional, social, or spiritual, etc.
• Build habits. Practice healthy habits like drinking water, mindfulness, healthy screen time, staying connected with friends and loved ones, etc.
• Create a support toolkit. Keep a list of people you can reach out to for help, resources that you can call in a crisis, and activities that boost your mood.
• Adjust. Check your plan from time to time and see how it worked, or if there are things you want to change.

Realizing that some of our behaviors may be harming us can be scary. But awareness is the first step. Through intentional practice and self-compassion, you can learn about healthier habits.

What can you do if someone you know is harming themselves?

If someone you know is engaging in harmful behaviors, you may not know how to help. However, there are several ways that you can help encourage safety for them.

You can practice active listening skills by creating a safe space, practicing empathy, and just giving your friends a space to feel what they're feeling and be heard. Try to educate yourself on their situation, learn about self-harm behaviors, destigmatization, how to get professional support, understand the recovery process, etc. Always prepare for emergencies, and have a safety plan for your friend in need. Connect with them or recommend professional help. Having a friend who self-harms is scary, and it's good to remember that telling someone your concerns is not the same as gossiping. You can always ask for help when you are unsure what to do.

As a peer, there may be some things that you are not prepared to handle. It is important to help the people you care about and also protect yourself in the process. Sometimes, that means accepting that you are not equipped to handle a certain situation and finding somebody who can help. Take care of yourself. Set clear boundaries and learn to recognize when you are overextending yourself. Remember, you won’t be able to do your best for someone else if you let yourself get burnt out. So, make sure you’re practicing self-care and stepping back when you need to.

Helping someone you care about navigate self-harming behaviors can be hard. However, with the right preparation, active listening skills, safety plans, and clear boundaries, you can be a strong support for someone else.

Conclusion

If you’re struggling with self-harm or noticing harmful habits, consider reaching out to a mental health professional for assessment and support. Self-harm can be in ordinary behaviors such as sleep procrastination, self-neglect, substance misuse, skipping meals, and more. Recognize and reframe these acts as unmet needs, recognize causes, and replace harmful routines with healthy coping alternatives. When someone you know is experiencing self-harming behaviors, offer nonjudgmental listening, encourage professional help, and ensure the person’s safety. Small changes and support can prevent harm and build a healthier lifestyle.

Resources  

Center for Students in Addiction Recovery
806.742.2891| hs.webmaster@ttu.edu

Student Counseling Center
806.742.3674 | studentcounselingcenter@ttu.edu | Student Wellness Center 201

Student Mental Health Community
806.834.6717 | heather.frazier@ttu.edu | Weeks Hall 2nd floor

References 

The Jed Foundation. (2025, March 21). How to cope with non-suicidal self-injury. Jed. 

Johnston, A. (2025, November 7). When pain turns inward: Understanding non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).  University of Colorado Denver.  

Kelsey. (2026, March 2). Understanding nonsuicidal self-injury: Why awareness, understanding, and compassion matter. Lost & Found.

Klonsky, E. D., Victor, S. E., & Saffer, B. Y. (2014). Nonsuicidal self-injury: what we know, and what we need to know. Canadian journal of psychiatry, 59(11), 565–568. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371405901101

Mental Health America. (2025, November 21). Am I harming myself? types of self-harm. Mental Health America.

Mental Wellness Center. (2025, March 17). How to help someone who self-harms. Mental Wellness Center.

Pine Grove Behavioral Health. (2022, March 9). Sleep procrastination as self-harm: Consequences of sleep deprivation.Pine Grove Behavioral Health.

Teenage Mental Health. (2023, September 8). Forms of self-harm & understanding. Teenage Mental Health. 

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