Bad thoughts

Hey all,

I've never seriously considered hurting myself, but the past two weeks have been a lot of depression and loneliness. The other night I was tempted to cut and hide it. I haven't done it and don't want to but it concerns me that these things are on my mind. Any thoughts?

I know it’s hard, but don’t do it. Do anything you can to take your mind off of SI. It’s a horrible addicting habit that takes over your life. I’ve been battling si for years, and just can’t escape.

Hold ice in your hand instead of cutting. It's painful and it will probably take your mind off cutting. It doesn't leave any marks. Don't start cutting. It's really hard to stop once you start. Do you have a therapist you can talk to or a trusted friend? Try not to isolate (hard during Covid times) but be around people even when you don't want to be. HUGS Kit

Some good advice from the other posters. Urges to self harm typically peak and then eventually subside. If you can find ways to outlast the urges that is great. Things like distractions or even coping skill techniques. You can find some great examples by looking up Dialectical Behavior Therapy resources online, specifically the Distress Tolerance resources.

For me in the past I tried to also take stock of when my thoughts of harming were the worst. They tended to be worse in the evenings, when I was alone, and when I was feeling triggered or down about myself. I found that if I knew the times that I was most vulnerable I was able to plan to have alternatives in place such as watching a movie, talking to a friend, playing a game, or even going out on an errand.

Another thing that has helped in recovery is knowing that after the self harm is done there are other consequences. For example, there's the pain and the also the embarrassment and shame that comes from having to hide the injuries and also make excuses as to why. It can also lower your self-esteem as you feel less confident in your ability to stop yourself.

Recovery from self harm is a difficult process, and it's better to find alternative coping skills to use. It may take trial and error and lots of practice, but there are good things out there. Hopefully other people have more thoughts too. Good luck!

Thanks you all! It seems to have subsided for now, but I've definitely noticed an increase in numbing behavior and wanting to be alone