Triggering: Self harm quitting advice

[bhanratty]

Hi, im 16 and i cut myself 3-4 times a day, and to the point where i need to go to hospital roughly ever 2-3 weeks. Im looking for a way to stop, I've tried everything but even when I've removed sharp objects i still find a window to punch or a loose screw in the wall. I don't want to cut myself, i do t want to self harm, but i don't feel nor,al without it, i need it to feel something and i need it to overcome anxiety and strong emotions.
Underlying diagnosed conditions:
Depression
Generalized anxiety disorder

Current medications:
Proziak
Xanax
Risperadone
Sertraline

[obelus]

Hey! First off, welcome to TeenHelp.

The first step is to realise that hey, this isn't right and I shouldn't be doing it. Then comes the harder, but completely possible, part of stopping. When I self harmed, if I was determined enough, I could self harm with almost anything even when I was in a secure hospital unit. For me, I had to realise that this was really hurting me. It was disfiguring my body and wasn't really helping when there are healthier options for me to use to cope with my emotions.

(This) thread lists a bunch of alternatives to self harm. It takes a lot of will power to stop self harming, to actually catch yourself in the moment when you want to self harm and do something different. (This) is a thread you can use to post your progress of how long you've gone without self harm even only if it has been one minute. I found both those threads really helpful when I was quitting. You can also check out the chat room or LiveHelp (if online) if you need someone to talk to to distract you from your self.

I understand not feeling normal when you don't self harm, that's because self harming has become your "normal." That just takes time to change and is possible to change. It takes awhile to feel like not self harming is normal, but it does happen.

Just give yourself time. Occupy yourself with other things and try to catch yourself before you self harm to do something different. You can do it! Just keep at it.

Oliver. x

[Nixas]

I understand.. Its becoming so normal.. What I do to regulate mine is I think of someone close to me and I picture them doing what im doing. Its usually horrifying enough for me to stop at that moment.
Its hard. its so so hard. but if you want it to stop... Keep walking. Don't let your emotional road end with giving into cutting due to normalcy. You want to stop... Don't let it win.
Do you know what about cutting you like? I find rubberbands useful. if you snap them enough it starts to wilt like a cut you didn't quite cut enough to break the skin.. and it stings.. If you really really want to stop. Find the incentive. Find the one thing you want to work hard for. anything you can get serious about.

I hope I said something at least useful.