As we’re still experiencing a global-wide pandemic due to COVID-19, many people have had to learn how to cope with the changes. Today, T.I.’s daughter, Deyjah Harris, decided to open up about her struggles with self-harm, while using her platform to bring awareness to Self-injury Awareness Day (SIAD ) worldwide. On Instagram, the 20-year-old got vulnerable with her followers. She used the hurt she experienced to testify to others in a lengthy message.
“I see you. Perhaps I had to experience this in order to be able to help someone else that is or will deal with this. I mean, we hurt so that we can help others heal from that same pain, right? I don’t need any sympathy. I don’t need any of you to try and guess why I did this to myself,” she wrote. “I don’t need you to tell me things like ‘Oh, you shouldn’t do that to yourself, you’re too pretty for that’ etc. because that will change nothing. All I need for you to do is simply speak and live in your truth like I always encourage you to do,” Deyjah added.
As the message continued, Deyjah explained that if she can be brave enough to share this part of herself/ journey with the world, others can too. In another post, she thanked her mother and father for being patient with her, even when she felt like they didn’t understand. T.I. left a beautiful comment stating, “Ain’t no other way, baby bear. We ALL Love you to no end. Through any & everything life has to offer. Good, bad, or worse… I Ain’t Never going nowhere & ain’t nothing ever too big or small to bring my way. It’s US til da world, BUST!!!! You know we 4LIFERS‼️”
The Adolescent Self Injury Foundation reports that self-harm is the most significant risk factor for possible subsequent suicide. We encourage anyone suffering to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).