Harley Molesworth runs the site for self-harmers from his bedroom

Self-harmers are often isolated and unable to confide in their families.

From his bedroom at Eye in Suffolk, 24-year-old Harley Molesworth runs Recover Your Life - a site which helps sufferers round-the-clock.

He is helped by 60 volunteers right across the world and his aim is to eventually turn the site into a registered charity.

Self-harmers will always keep it a secret because they feel a lot of shame, a lot of guilt Harley Molesworth

The website is a thriving forum with self-harmers from more than 130 countries.

Many of them have posted their own artwork on the site to express the pain which drives them to damage themselves.

"The act of cutting releases chemicals called endorphines which has the side-effect of lessening internal pain," said Mr Molesworth, who is not a self-harmer himself.

"Self-harmers will always keep it a secret because they feel a lot of shame, a lot of guilt.

"There is a huge amount of misunderstanding in society about it all and it's not something that is totally normal. People are not going to be proud of it.

Recovery bracelets

"Often kids will go through their entire teenage life with their parents not knowing they are self-harming when they are living under the same roof," he added.

"They often lack confidence and support and we have people 24/7 to help them here."

Mr Molesworth said over the years there had been thousands of letters from people telling him the site had saved or changed the lives of those who damaged themselves.

The latest incentive to more than 27,000 members is recovery bracelets to help people chart their way to a greater sense of wellbeing and freedom from self-harm.