I know they don't mean any bad, it's their way of showing worry, but some people I'm close to who have experienced my behaviour in person in the past sometimes question when me when they see I have a large bruise of some sort.

background: I don't cut, the aftermath is too obvious, I scar easily, and that type of pain secluded to a small space doesn't do it for me. I punch myself and hit my head off walls which has resulted in multiple concussions and a fucked up jaw--so now every obvious bruise is questionable (usually if on my face).

The joke in my title is the fact that "falling down the stairs", despite being the most suspicious, is the easiest explanation for my concussions etc in the past and people tend to believe it when it's me for some reason.

But outside of self harm, I'm a klutz. Cognitively, I have issues with balance and coordination and half the time I have random scratches and bruises that I don't remember getting. I have a HUGE one on my arm... that one day I literally was just like "oh hey, where did i get this?". It was questioned and I wasn't so much embarrassed or offended. They didn't think I was lying. But it kinda reminded me that my self harm can affect other people's observations and assumptions more than just mine. Kinda feels bad since hurting others through it is the complete opposite of what I try to do when i self harm.

That being said, anyone else experience this? When someone knows you self harm and thinks a legit injury is self harm at first? Whether they believe you or not... I'm just so thankful these people believe me and I can only imagine what it's like when people dont believe you