I feel like relapsing into harming myself, what can I do to prevent it?

Question

When I was younger I used to cut myself all over to forget the stress I couldnt handle and instead dwell on the physical pain instead, I've stopped and havent done it for a long while now, but I keep getting the urge to want to do it again suddenly, I suppose due to heightened stress lately.
The therapist I see has told me to hold ice to feel a similar, but safer, pain, but it isnt the same, my mind wants the cutting, but I know afterwards I'll be filled with regret for doing it and I'll disappoint everyone if I do. I dont want to talk it out, I just want to cut it away.
I feel trapped as I dont know what to do, or at least how to make the urge disappear. Any advice would be helpful.

Answer 1

I used to cut myself too. There is no one right answer. The best answer is too develop a support group made up of any people you trust who knows about the cutting. Then when you feel the urge, call one or more of them and try to talk about your feelings. If you can't get anyone try the hot-lines. Also go outside and run, walk, or ride a bicycle. Any movement outside can help fight the urge. Don't keep anything in the house that you might use to cut with. Good luck

Answer 2

You already have alot of awesome answers and I concur with the ones about exercise, working out, weight lifting, running, getting into a sport of some kind (have you ever considered Archery?) Get into a support group and get someone aboard to be your anchor. Nobody can understand you as well as someone who has been through it. Here's another idea that most people don't think of. Get yourself a ten lb sledge hammer and take a trip once a week to a junkyard. Make sure you have permission to smash (they may allow this in a particular place in the yard) and go to town on something. You will excert a ton of force and release all that negative energy. You won't believe how you feel afterwards. More intense than punching bag, but that works too. I say do both. Hang in there, you can get through this, I say that if you have someone that you can turn to for moral support and activity then you will have a good start on keeping yourself from cutting for a while longer.

Answer 3

I cut myself for a long time. I haven't done it in a while but thats because I have a wonderful supportive boyfriend who keeps me from doing that. Find a buddy - someone you can call when you get the urge. Have them come over or talk to you until the urge passes. I took up kickboxing. It's not quite the same but beating the snot out of a punching bag DOES relieve stress and makes me feel much better!

Answer 4

first of all cutting yourself and leaving scars is not good. this is definitely a mental health issue. do not feel ashamed. sometimes we need certain medications to make the brain think properly. however i do think therapy along with meds will help you understand your illness and you will be aware for future relapses. don't feel trapped its easy said. however by cutting yourself really your trapped worse. are you suicidal? if so seek help immediately. make an appointment with the mental health and tell them the truth. or your MD. one does not solve their problems by hurting themselves with physical pain. you heal up and the problem is still there. you need to learn some stress coping skills. this will help you deal with your stress. in the meantime try walking or jogging. not in front of a vehicle. have a friend go with you to a trail or park..try to be around people so you wont harm yourself. this is serious. i hope you get the help you need to feel better. thank you kat/[e-mail] PS. your already doing talk therapy when you asked for advise. so look at it this way.

Answer 5

I know what you mean, I was advised to try squeezing ice when I had the urge to self-injure and it didn't work. What I found really helped me was writing and drawing in a journal. Before discovering how helpful the journal was, I would tell myself to wait fifteen minutes and, if I still had the urge to cut myself, I could. If I did it, I'd try waiting another fifteen minutes and another. Even if I ended up giving in, at least I was able to curb myself for a little while. But my journal definately, definately helps. A lot.

Answer 6

FIRST, smile! I know, I know, it sounds stupid, but try it. Emotions do not only trigger facial expressions, facial expressions can also trigger emotions. If you smile, you will become happier. It works!

Second, identify the source of your stress. I do not recommend you run away from your problems, but if you are stressing over something unimportant, get rid of it!

Third, and this is the best advice if all else fails. STAY ACTIVE! The less time you give yourself to think about what is stressing you, and the less time you have to think about harming yourself, the less-likely you are to do it.

Answer 7

The very fact that you are asking this question in a "public" forum means that you don't really want to lapse back into this self-destructive behaviour. This is a good sign, I think.



Maybe you need to modify your whole situation to get away from the stress that must be causing these feelings? Move house, change your job, change your boyfriend/girlfriend.



You only get to go round once, don't waste it!



Good luck!

Answer 8

You need to find another source to keep you busy...for example, sports, gardening, etc.....



See if you could someway and somehow get out of that stressful situation....or at least get someone to help you with the situation. You may have to walk away from it for a while...but DONT hurt yourself...no situation is worth that....



If you need to seek a new therapist, then chage therapists

Answer 9

You need to come up with another physical thing to do, run, ride a bike, hit a punching bag, swim, roller blade, etc. Stop hurting yourself. It is not necessary anymore. You now know how to release the pain in other ways and it is time you did it.

Answer 10

I really feel for you. my sister is a cutter too. she has taken to far a coupler times. she nearly killed her self six times just by cutting to deep. She looked on-line to find support groups in her area and on the phone that deter her from cutting herself anymore. Do you like poetry? Maybe if you don't want to call any numbers you can put yourself in a quiet place and just write poetry to relieve the stress. Or not necessarily poetry but just write your feelings down to let them out.

Answer 11

Go to a counseller or just get someone to talk you through you. Thats a really nasty habit you have to break... the only way to do it is to be mentally tough and don't let yourself give in to the temptation... if you keep resisting the temptation will lessen over time.

Answer 12

Try other remedies to vent your anger...Run, workout (now THATS torture!) beat up pillows, take kick boxing, karate, meditate. Alleviate your stress by knowing that in a few years the issue will be dead and you will have new issues....everybody has stress, find ways to deal with it, cutting yourself will only add to your pain.

Answer 13

Talk to someone that is supportive of you breaking this habit, and wil help you through the times until you are strong enough to stop the urge yourself.

Answer 14

#1- seek celestial help

#2- Think of you cutting your self, would that pain really relieve your stress? would you be satisfied or would you feel like you have to doit again? and if so, what would that bring in to your life? hapiness or depression because of you have no control over your mind?



email me and tell me what's your job

Answer 15

Support groups are great. Find one. Now. Please. And have your therapist recommend a psych. Today's meds are much better than they used to be. Don't let anyone tell you that you are being stupid or irrational. Find some people who understand and things will get better.

Answer 16

Get yourself to an emergency room now! If you want contact me or anybody. You need to talk it out but mainly you need to go to the hospital now! These other people are idiots. Get help now!

Answer 17

take up a relaxing hobby to relieve some of that stress. find yourself a boyfriend, you wouldn't cut yourself if some one was looking at you everyday. if that doesn't work than start drinking!

Answer 18

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO CURE IT, THEN TALK IT OUT, DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT TO FIND A RESOLUTION, YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND OUT HOW, AND NOBODY IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU HOW, YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT OUT FOR YOURSELF, TRY A PUNCHING BAG, TRY FACING YOUR PROBLEMS AND KICKING THEM IN THE *** SO THEY GO AWAY, CUTTING AND PERSONAL HARM IS AN ESCAPE FROM FACING PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH IN REAL WAYS, YOU NEED TO FIGURE HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM IN A BETTER WAY.

Answer 19

Drink some herbal tea. That relaxes me. Also try to think about happy things.

Answer 20

unfortunately I know what you mean. music helps. every time you get the urge go and listen to some music that you like. it will relax you and it will slowly go away.

Answer 21

You could go about drawing Pictures or writing down how ya feel

Answer 22

I reccomend cutting at a piece of wood.

Answer 23

You really need to find a good psychiatrist, one you can relate to well. If you don't have the money, try to find a clinic near you where they can refer you to someone. Do it soon!!

Answer 24

all i can say is to do some yoga it help me when i was like that it's rilly good it will help you a lot the pane will stop because when i was 13 i cut myself and my mom help my tacking me to yoga it all stop see if it will help

Answer 25

That's wild! have you tried sky diving? bungie jumping? running? exercising? Get a hobbie....plant a flower and watch it grow...keep your mind off your stress....focus on happy things...do a facial, manicure or pedicure....treat yourself right....

Answer 26

just keep telling yourself that its WroNg, and cutters arent accepted well into "normal" socitiy. its wrong to harm the body god gave you. i really cant understand cutters, im such a happy person! lol

Answer 27

I would suggest that you talk you your parents or a friend some one who can help you deal with your emotions.....

if you need to talk email me ill listen.....

Answer 28

Get a life....that way 'you' won't ''feel'' trapped.....