advice needed if possible

[numbness]

Hi I joined today.... I would really like some advice from people so that I can for the millionth time try to stop cutting.I have been doing it for two years and I'm running out of room on my body. anything said would be much appreciated

[Harley Quinn]

You need to aware of what makes you self harm, in what situations and when. Once you figure out what triggers you and when, you'll be able to avoid those situations. With every urge, it will pass if you give it time. I know that isn't the easiest thing to do, believe me I know. But, the more you hold it off the better it'll be.

You can also try many techniques to distract yourself:



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. 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. That in itself is a method/alternative.

If you need to hurt yourself, do it in a controlled and less harmful way. The rubber band method does work, it for me. Does that mean it works for everyone? Of course not. You need to find out yourself if that works for you. While yes it can be used even more dangerously than cutting, it's a safer option. There's also the ice cube method. Rub an ice cube on your wrist. Although 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. Clenching ice cubes gives your hands something to do, too.

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.

[numbness]

Thankyou, I'm going to try and reflect on what things trigger me to self harm. I think that you are right in the fact that if I can figure out what makes me do it it will be easier to control . thankyou so much to be honest I wasn't expecting a reply

[These.scars.are.me.]

I am trying to stop to. The person I talk to at school (not technically a councillor) helped me a million to go a tiny amount at a time. If you could find someone like that. At my school volenteers come in because there are a lot of people like me in my school. I have scars which aren't that old so it's not long since I have but every time I reach a milestone (such as a week or 2 weeks I promise myself a treat like a new pair of earrings or a nice top

[numbness]

I am trying to stop to. The person I talk to at school (not technically a councillor) helped me a million to go a tiny amount at a time. If you could find someone like that. At my school volenteers come in because there are a lot of people like me in my school. I have scars which aren't that old so it's not long since I have but every time I reach a milestone (such as a week or 2 weeks I promise myself a treat like a new pair of earrings or a nice top

That's a really good way to think about it :) does the treat method help?

[These.scars.are.me.]

yeah most of the time. but only if the treat isnt edible because then i feel guilty because i'm pretty large anyway as people are not scared to tell me! and them i just starve myself and get ill!! so something that makes you feel good might be worth a try?

[numbness]

I will thankyou :) I havnt done it for a week its my record

[These.scars.are.me.]

Well done! seriously i found the first week the hardest each time i tried to stop! it just gets easier!!

[uglyinsideandout]

thankyou so much to be honest I wasn't expecting a reply

I don't think you had much to worry about on that one. You're pretty and it's easy to be sympathetic with your situation. I hope you can find a way to change in a positive way to what you want.

[numbness]

I don't think you had much to worry about on that one. You're pretty and it's easy to be sympathetic with your situation. I hope you can find a way to change in a positive way to what you want.

Thankyou :) I don't really get compliments

[numbness]

Well done! seriously i found the first week the hardest each time i tried to stop! it just gets easier!!

I really hope so :)

[Yugen]

I just ignore the urge. Like I go do other stuff that's needed for human function. Eat, sleep, shower (without razors), etc. Eventually it does go away, and if not, you'll eventually end up in a situation where you couldn't do it anyway.

[uglyinsideandout]

I don't try to not do it. It's one of the few things that I can control and it makes me feel better in a way. That's one of the reasons I came here was to see if I could find a reason not to do it. No luck so far.

[Gigablue]

I never actually cut, but I did self harm in other ways. There was only one method that ever helped me fight the urge, excercise. Whenever I felt the urge to self harm, I would excercise as much as I could. Sometimes I would run, other times I would lift weights of punch our punching bag. Most of the time, I had to excercise to the point of exhaustion, where I didn't have any energy left to hurt myself. I found it provided a similar release, without doing any lasting damage. In the end, though, that was only a temporary measure. The only permenant solution was to see a psychiatrist, who treated my depression. I don't really think I could have stopped without medical help.

[numbness]

I never actually cut, but I did self harm in other ways. There was only one method that ever helped me fight the urge, excercise. Whenever I felt the urge to self harm, I would excercise as much as I could. Sometimes I would run, other times I would lift weights of punch our punching bag. Most of the time, I had to excercise to the point of exhaustion, where I didn't have any energy left to hurt myself. I found it provided a similar release, without doing any lasting damage. In the end, though, that was only a temporary measure. The only permenant solution was to see a psychiatrist, who treated my depression. I don't really think I could have stopped without medical help.

I had the urge last night so I went out and ran until my muscles were burning,but I can safely say I walked past all the sharp objects without a second thought