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scorpiooo2

scorpiooo2

saddest grl
Aug 23, 2019
112
Does anybody have any tips on how to control urges to self-harm. Ive tried many things and I just can't seem to help myself anymore. I'm hoping maybe someone else would be able to help?
 
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E

EmptySteph62

Student
Aug 4, 2019
169
How do you feel about taking up a sport or going to the gym? Working out can make you hurt but it's good for you and helps you become stronger and releases endorphins. I took up boxing when I was trying to quit cutting and it definitely helps me.
Then again I know for alot if people this wouldn't work for them, so it's a personal preference I guess.
 
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stellabelle

stellabelle

ethereal
Dec 14, 2018
3,919
Does anybody have any tips on how to control urges to self-harm. Ive tried many things and I just can't seem to help myself anymore. I'm hoping maybe someone else would be able to help?
It's hard and they never really go away, it haunts now and again st least for me.
You could try getting tattoos instead, something beautiful comes of it. Try to stay busy. Clean your house, work with your hands, just do something to try and occupy yourself. You could draw it on paper but not do it. Draw on yourself with a red pen. Hell, hot showers, baths, I've tried it all.
 
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First loss

First loss

Specialist
Jan 28, 2019
393
I am probably missing the point but...

I was cutting myself on the regular because it felt calming to me. I lost all urge to cut myself after I started smoking because I had another way to calm myself. Soo... try finding something to calm you down better then cutting.
 
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sadgirl2002

sadgirl2002

Fallen Angel
Apr 9, 2019
452
Keeping yourself occupied is very important if you want to fight the urge to cut yourself.
 
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disableddoll

disableddoll

Member
Jul 2, 2019
24
you should try pressing ice against the places you'd want to harm
 
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Saga

Saga

In my memories a smiling me doesn't exist
Jul 20, 2019
175
i dont stop the urges...i smoke and then cry and then cut...most recently i stopped eating 3x a day and if i do its only partial...makes me think of my stomach pain than cutting..this is what i eat in a day and then i think of food then everything turns blurry 15667934941955685587573957509729
 
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Futility

Futility

Student
Aug 13, 2019
183
If you grab an ice cube and hold it in your hand or anywhere else for as long as you can stand it, or make a bucket or footbath of ice water, then stick your hands and/or feet in it, it'll hurt you for a while without leaving marks, without leaving permanent damage to your skin.

Eating a hot chili pepper activates your pain response, get a pepper that you can barely stand and chew on it, have some pineapple, kiwifruit and/or milk ready to curb the hotness when you have had enough. Pineapple will neutralize the pepper.

Buy a short leather flogger that's long enough to reach your back, whip yourself silly, you can do it hard enough to make bruises, but actually slicing the skin open is more difficult unless you're using a bull whip for an example. A flogger has multiple strands that spread out and doesn't focus the damage in a single area, making it better for damage control.

Go see a friend or take your dog out for a walk, being out and about makes it more difficult to hurt yourself, sometimes that type of distraction is enough.

Get some Japanese massage candles. They're a type of candle that burns at a lower temperature than regular candles, meaning it will not leave you with nasty burns, but you will still hurt enough to satisfy the urges a little bit. Pro tip, do not leave the candles out in the sun or in a window, they'll melt and fall over.

I'm sorry you are having problems with urges, it never truly leaves the back of your mind, but from experience, I find that keeping myself busy and deliberately distracting myself by going to clubs and allowing others or myself to hurt me within safe walls, is actually a healthier way of dealing with it.

I hope you can use my tips while trying to quit.
And remember, relapse is not the end of the world, it will happen, but over time you will get better at controlling it, do not judge yourself because you're doing your best and that's all you can ask of yourself.

Lots of hugs.
 
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aviator8

aviator8

Member
Aug 22, 2019
43
vaping or nicotine stopped it for me...for a while
 
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F

Frank

Member
Aug 22, 2019
87
I got really into martial arts which is legit pain but also excercise and less frowned upon. The lack of fear for pain really helps in martial arts so win win.
 
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Lara Francis

Lara Francis

Enlightened
Jun 30, 2018
1,627
I think I have tried so many things to stop but in times of crisis it remains a go to coping mechanism.
In a similar thread, a member had suggested making ice cubes containing red food colouring. Its something I had not heard of but can see how holding the cubes would cause pain and the red would resemble blood. I have not tried it myself yet.
 
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GinaIsReady

GinaIsReady

Exit Strategist
Mar 29, 2019
995
I think I have tried so many things to stop but in times of crisis it remains a go to coping mechanism.
In a similar thread, a member had suggested making ice cubes containing red food colouring. Its something I had not heard of but can see how holding the cubes would cause pain and the red would resemble blood. I have not tried it myself yet.
Cool idea. What do you think? Will you try it?

I use ice a lot. It is amazing how it changes my mindset and 'chills' me out.
 
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Lara Francis

Lara Francis

Enlightened
Jun 30, 2018
1,627
Hi @GinaIsReady
I will definitely try it
I am a person that needs to see blood as well as experience the pain.
I have to refrain from self harm atm as I am staying with a friend and won't do it here out of respect.
 
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scorpiooo2

scorpiooo2

saddest grl
Aug 23, 2019
112
I think I have tried so many things to stop but in times of crisis it remains a go to coping mechanism.
In a similar thread, a member had suggested making ice cubes containing red food colouring. Its something I had not heard of but can see how holding the cubes would cause pain and the red would resemble blood. I have not tried it myself yet.
This sounds like a really good idea, I do also like to see the blood. I'm not sure if that's why I do it but I sure will try this out.
 
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Lara Francis

Lara Francis

Enlightened
Jun 30, 2018
1,627
This sounds like a really good idea, I do also like to see the blood. I'm not sure if that's why I do it but I sure will try this out.
Let me know what you think x
 
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aviator8

aviator8

Member
Aug 22, 2019
43
well I am self harming again so I guess there is no point fighting it it will haunt you until you are no longer depressed or something
 
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Futility

Futility

Student
Aug 13, 2019
183
I just dug through to find this thread again.

I discovered something else, you can get a tattoo artist to dry-line on you, or get your own tattoo gun.
Dry lining is when you don't put ink in the machine, you will feel the pain and you won't end up with a tattoo you don't want.

Of course it won't bleed a whole lot, no more than a usual tattoo, but it also won't leave horrible scars behind.
Just please make sure to do it safely, disinfect the area.
With needles you run the risk of infection because you can trap dirt and bacteria under your skin.

Use this within reason and only if the urges become unbearable while trying to quit though.
 
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Sweet emotion

Sweet emotion

Enlightened
Sep 14, 2019
1,325
Does anybody have any tips on how to control urges to self-harm. Ive tried many things and I just can't seem to help myself anymore. I'm hoping maybe someone else would be able to help?
How do you feel about seeing a therapist about this problem? I'm sure they could help you much better than any of us could. I'm not familiar at all with self harm.
 
Ruffian

Ruffian

Jumpin Jack Flash, it’s a gas gas gas
Jan 16, 2019
696
I am probably missing the point but...

I was cutting myself on the regular because it felt calming to me. I lost all urge to cut myself after I started smoking because I had another way to calm myself. Soo... try finding something to calm you down better then cutting.
I find smoking is a minor self harm. I didn't ever cut, but I do hit myself and do other strange things I don't realize I'm doing and then notice bruises. This is new and I don't like it. Addictions always been my way of self-harm. I'm trying to stop again and then I noticed I was hurting myself.
 
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fettuccinee

fettuccinee

Member
Oct 3, 2019
54
I use red paint markers and draw on myself.
 
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RainAndSadness

RainAndSadness

Administrator
Jun 12, 2018
2,149
I'm not sure if this solution applies to your situation but I have benzos for these desperate moments. So instead of self-harming, when I feel severe mental pain, I take a benzo and it helps me to calm down. A psychiatrist prescribed them to me after I explained the urge to self-harm when I'm miserable. My self-harm method was burning.
 
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FullCircle

FullCircle

Member
Nov 20, 2018
77
For me, the only thing that works is to go somewhere where I can't self harm. A friend house, a store, the park...anywhere public.
 
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sammii

sammii

I have no idea what I’m doing.
Oct 9, 2019
221
I've tried the ice thing, elastic band on the wrist, drawing on myself but none of those worked for me. I usually just need to distract myself in some way to take my mind off it.
 
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Nanami

Nanami

Global Mod
Nov 20, 2018
110
I had to stop cutting when I was sectioned in a ward.
What I did instead was taking a marker and started drawing temporary tattoos on my arm.
They'd wash off in a day or two and then I could just try a different design. It didn't feel anywhere near as good as cutting but it was at least something.
 
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S

snorli

Student
Sep 30, 2019
178
I shave my head (I'm female so it's a bit unusual). It's simultaneously (emotionally) painful and soothing, self harm and self care at the same time. Like the look too.

Please don't do this on a whim if you value your long hair. Growing it back is a pain :blarg:.
 
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Sadwind

Sadwind

want to go
Sep 21, 2019
76
I shave my head (I'm female so it's a bit unusual). It's simultaneously (emotionally) painful and soothing, self harm and self care at the same time. Like the look too.

Please don't do this on a whim if you value your long hair. Growing it back is a pain :blarg:.
I just shaved my head a couple weeks ago and man it was awesome. It's a really freeing experience and it was like the biggest "fuck you" type self expression i could have done. I think that i want to self harm but I do it more emotionally. Expression of emotions is really difficult for me and cutting my hair off as close the the scalp as i could get it was so cathartic.

I'm too depressed for hair, anyway. I couldn't take care of it. I got rid of it to take care of myself more. I roll out of bed and I'm just myself. It's fucking cool.
 
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