The Butterfly Project is a peer-created harm-reduction technique and awareness movement designed to help individuals manage and resist urges to self-harm. The movement originated around the late 2000s and early 2010s within peer-led online communities. It was created anonymously by individuals seeking non-judgmental, creative strategies to support one another through emotional distress.

How the Butterfly Project Works

Draw the Butterfly: When an individual feels the urge to self-harm, they draw a butterfly using a pen or marker on the area of their body they feel compelled to hurt.

Name the Symbol: They name the butterfly after a loved one, friend, or supporter—someone they care about or want to heal for.

Natural Fading: The individual allows the drawing to wear off naturally over time; scrubbing or intentionally washing it off is discouraged.

The "Life" Rule: If the person self-harms before the drawing fades, the butterfly "dies." If they refrain from self-harming until the ink fades away completely, the butterfly safely "flies away".

Supportive Allies: Friends, family, or allies can also draw a butterfly on their wrist to show solidarity, naming it after the person they are supporting.