Dealing with Self-Harm and Finding Alternatives

I understand what you mean. It's such a horrible feeling :( some coping skills I try and use are putting my energy into a hobby I love, journaling, or doing a workout!

Sometimes drawing what I want to do on either my arm or paper helps me personally. I know it's not a solution long term but it has stopped me from going full hog a couple times

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Just wanna check in on you and see how you have been holding up!! ❤️ 🤗 If you ever need my inbox is open.. I would rather you blow up my inbox then hurt yourself!! I understand the "need" .. just try on that moment to keep your hands busy with other things... Seems to help me

I have had the same issue, nothing else seems to make it feel better, but I find caring for myself after I do it like taking a Bath, cleaning them and bandaging them and just taking the time to sit down and relax while caring for my mental and physical wounds, it helps me feel less guilty.

I'm sorry I can relate. What I do is hold an ice cube to the place I feel like harming or even add some red dye along with it

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I am the same and If I get a scratch near where I cut that will trigger my brain .. so what I try and do is find things to do to keep my brain kinda numbed (like numb to the triggers or intrusive thoughts) and I try and keep my hands super busy... I will watch a show and color.. it's kinda mind numbing but helps for a bit to not think about the cutting... I crochet a lot as well.. and I have done diamond art as well...

I used to scratch all over my arms with pencils and something that helped a bit was drawing on my arms with markers and gel pens instead of hurting myself I just focused on the feeling of the cold gel pen tip as I drew butterflies and plants and friends names .. it's like a sensory feeling to focus on instead of pain.. I haven't hurt myself in awhile and I often didn't draw blood so .. draw in spots where there aren't any open wounds just in case

draw pretty things on ur skin so you won't want to cut it

I also used to cut. Best advice is to find a therapist and talk to them about how you could stop, but there are some alternatives if you want. I've never used the rubber band thing but I know it's helped for some friends of mine. Also slapping your skin or constantly tapping it might give the pain/release you need without cutting.

I struggled with this for years. What I find most helpful is acting opposite, if I feel I want to cut I get out the nice skin cream and all that and then I feel so guilty about wrecking the self care by cutting that I can't bring myself to do it. I hope this helps.

Oh, and practice self care, ESPECIALLY when feeling the urge to harm yourself in any way. Develop the habit of doing the exact opposite when you feel the urge, as this will help your brain develop an association/solution that is healthy for you. Also, practicing some positive affirmations each day and keeping a gratitude journal has helped me in the past, maybe it will help you too :3

I used to do this, exactly like you- when i felt like a failure or worthless or whatever other cognitive distortions my traumatized brain came up with. Ultimately I still kept this habit for years until I started working through why I disliked myself so much- and for me, a lot of it was just.. trauma induced. The things people would say to me as a kid are the things I was repeating to myself in my head. It was my past speaking, not me. I am not my past, and neither are you! So my advice to you is work on some CBT with a therapist or by yourself, and try to logic your way through these negative thoughts about yourself, because like i said, all these thoughts are are your past coming back to taunt you. Don't let it win, it's behind you !! ♡

Some alternatives... where a rubber band on your wrist and snap it for the sting. Use a red pen to draw the cuts on your arm. Of course, finding and working on the root cause of the feelings that lead to the behavior is the best way to go.

I struggled with it for a long time but if you want you can message me and I could give you pointers

i struggle with this too. feel free to dm me; i could share a couple of things i've tried