Anyone Have Tips for Quitting?

[happinessisoverrated]

I have depression and I've been cutting for about 2 years, but I've since gotten help and medication. Despite my support, I'm finding it extremely difficult to stop cutting. The urges are so strong and its really hard to resist. I've tried distracting myself, drawing on my skin where I'd usually cut, writing, talking to people, and making sure that I'm not alone in a room. So far nothing has really helped, and I really need to quit, so if anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate it.

[tubanic]

Try hitting pillows or holding ice-cubes really tight when you feel the urge to cut. Lots of other safe ways of getting the pain release on the internet

[Harley Quinn]

Identify the triggers that make you feel like cutting. The moment you have the urge to harm yourself, stop and think of what has just occurred. Remember it and try to avoid these situations. For example, if you've just had an argument with somebody close to you, and are having the urge to self-harm, stop and ask yourself what's making you feel this way: "I feel like harming myself because I've just had an argument with somebody I love, and it's making me feel really bad." Determine what in particular makes this situation trigger off negative emotions: a certain feeling, or maybe an action? Work on reducing this issue until you have it under control or completely diminished.

If you need to hurt yourself, do it in a controlled and less harmful way. A good idea is to wear a rubber band around your wrist. Every time you want to cut, snap the rubber band against your wrist instead. Rub an ice cube on your wrist. Although all of these cause some immediate pain, it is much milder and much less dangerous. Another option, would be to grab a handful of ice cubes and hold them for a minute or two until your hands hurt and then let go of them. Screaming at the top of your lungs into a pillow might help, as well.

Find safer ways to express your emotions. Replace the time you would usually spend self-harming with other activities that allow you to explore your feelings without hurting yourself.

[happinessisoverrated]

Thank you, I'll be sure to try those :)

[UnknownError]

In addition to the part about identifying the triggers, once you've reached the conclusion of that if you still feel like you want to cut, just completely try to clear your mind of any memory of it. Focus 100% on something else, try to remember a full song/poem off by heart or try to say your whole class in alphabetical order. Anything that distracts you even for a little while. It can be really quite hard though.

[Jakeisamazing]

Keep yourself as busy as possible and find a friend that you can talk to when you have the urges. Ever need anything then message me(:

[Magnus Bane]

try toto calm yourself down when you want to cut or go play a game and focus on that that is what helped me

[Jupiter]

I mean, these are all great tips and all, but they don't work for everyone. What worked for me was hitting rock bottom and then looking at my life and thinking wow, this really sucks

[ShatteredGlass]

I quit when I imagined cutting to deep and my two year old nephew trying unsuccessfully to wake me. It was a wake up call. I realized how much death hurt, how irreversible it was I could never risk it again. Now when I feel like cutting I write over the scars words of encouragment. Think of anyone you love or care about and imagine if they were self-harming, imagine if they were dead, think about how much you love and care about them and then imagine them being as mean to themselves as you are to yourself. then don't set a double-standard for them and yourself don't be your own worst enemy. You have to make the decision to never go there again and do whatever it takes not to. You have to be your own therapist and your own cheerleader, you have to take time to know yourself, love yourself, and forgive yourself. Your stronger and more powerful than you know.

[gentletrees]

Get a job and work so much and be so busy that you don't have time to be sad. Worked for me.

[Love.Hate]

I found focusing on something I really wanted in life helped.. I aimed to not have scars all over my body and every strong urge id tell myself, 'no fran, you don't want this' id sit there until the urge went.. even if that was hours of craving it.. put on some loud music and drown the world out. Also I found writing down all the negative thoughts then ripping the paper into shreads also helped me psychologically a little bit.

[missfortune]

I have the exact same problem but instead of cutting my self I cut my wall or a tree!

[AkuRokuStalker]

Listen to music
read a book
write
type
draw
talk to friends about something other than cutting
take a super hot shower
pop yourself with a rubber band
take awya all cutting tools that will help alot

[emonerdz]

Wen i wanna cut myself i just think wat i do will affect my future or i just draw my emotions out

[forever alone]

You could also look at it like say you go a week without it then you could reward yourself by doing good things you like to do. For example I like making bracelets so when I went a month without it I made one and it really made me happy. It gives you something to think about and also something to look forward to when you don't cut so it helps motivate you to stop also you could try the butterfly project. You draw a butterfly were you self harm and name it after someone you care about and if you cut then the butterfly dies if you let it naturally go away then it lives. Good luck.