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.