Burning question..

[xXl0sth0peXx]

So recently.. I decided cutting wasn't cutting it for me.. so I tried the Salt and Ice burn.. and it worked wonderfully once I realized how to do it.. So numb and feels so good.. So I guess my question is are there any health risks by doing this?

Obviously.. SH itself is risk, but I mean by excessive freezing burning, is that gonna be hazardous to my heath. I dunno how to really explain it.. Like when you cut, you can cut through a vein.. that kind of thing..

Thanks :)

[StoppingTime]

Start here. (http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21146)

Any kind of self harm comes with many risks, so yes, it could potentially do something bad, just like self-harm with cutting.

[AllThatYouDreamed]

S&I burns are really the same level of "bad" as any other burn, except the skin can be damaged by frostbite instead of heatburns.

Bad enough frostbite I believe can result in an amputation.

It's not a "lesser" form of SI, it's just a less known one.

[Bath]

It is a wonderful pain, but I think it's just as bad as cutting. You're hurting yourself, leaving a mark, and if you do it too much it can seriously fuck you up.

[Alexithymia]

It's just as bad as cutting, really. The only major thing that comes from this is going to be infections, which are sometimes much worse than cutting infections. Neither are the best options, but if you had to choose one... I'm not sure. Just try to do neither. You can get over this. All you need to do is have faith in yourself. It may seem impossible, but you can do it.

Just make sure to clean yourself up after you burn. Get some cream to apply to it. It's gonna leave a mark, just like cutting will leave a scar. The problem with burning is that you find yourself needing to get a lot more pain. It leaves much larger marks, which will never go away.

Don't give up. If you need me, just PM me. :)

[AlmostHomeless]

Darn... I was thinking about this as a (hopefully) safer alternative, if I could get myself to do this instead.

[FullyAlive]

Yeah as has been said it's the same as burning normally. The salt and ice together dehydrates the skin. Dependent how long you hold it down for will determine how much of a scar is left. However I'm pretty sure hold it on too long and there is a risk of nerve damage.
Basically it's a bad idea, please don't try it. It's not an alternative to cutting.

[AlmostHomeless]

I wish there was some kind of alternative. I really want to get out of this. Cutting has defined my life and I desperately want to stop but I can't make myself. So much for an alternative.

[FullyAlive]

There are lots of coping techniques, although they might not be alternatives they can still help a lot.

Google it and you'll find loads, but here are some examples snap a rubber band on your wrist, draw on yourself in red pen, hold ice (no salt) where you want to cut.

And of course there are distractions, drawing, walking, running, talking to friends, lots of small things like that can distract you until the urge passes.

[AlmostHomeless]

Well thing is I have trouble controlling my body when it happens. I don't think anything short of extremely painful will work. I don't know why I do it and I don't know what I can do to make myself switch. I have tried intentionally snapping rubber bands so that maybe when it happens I will do that instead but that hasn't worked.

[FullyAlive]

Erm have you tried like hitting a pillow or running or something that'll make you so exhausted you don't have the energy to cut?

[AlmostHomeless]

I don't know when it's going to happen, and when it does I can't do anything.

[Jupiter]

Hey, just listen to everyone. It is most likely dangerous, so just don't do it, if you can control it...