Does it get easier?

[lovatoac]

I'll start by saying... I'm 36 days self-harm free. I thought by this point I wouldn't think about it so much, but it gets harder everyday. Everyday I think about how long it's been since I cut myself and I miss it.

Please, please tell me it gets easier!

[Invision]

It gets easier. Once you break the habit completely, it's a lot easier to deal. That said, whenever I'm depressed I have that urge to cut myself. It didn't go away until I got on medication, which also killed my suicidal ideation. It makes me wonder if they're connected for me, or if it's just coincidence.

It gets easier, trust me on this. It might not stop, but at least it will get bearable.

Good luck, and congratulations on thirty-six days - that's a real milestone! ... Well, thirty days. Thirty-six is just a little more than a month but slightly less than a month and a week, so I'm not quite sure if that counts as a landmark. But it's positive, so it's good enough!

Stay strong. <3

James

[Dez]

It does get easier. I have been told that you will always have the urges to SH, but it definitely does get easier to deal with the urges over time. Thirty six days is a great accomplishment, by the way! I'm glad that you have made it so far and am confident that you will be able to make it even farther!

[Invision]

Originally Posted by Dez

It does get easier. I have been told that you will always have the urges to SH, but it definitely does get easier to deal with the urges over time. Thirty six days is a great accomplishment, by the way! I'm glad that you have made it so far and am confident that you will be able to make it even farther!

I wouldn't say that the original poster will always have the urge to self-harm; often, the reason of self-harm can go away once it is identified and dealt with. Yes, it's a coping mechanism, but it's a coping mechanism which can be replaced. It is not necessarily a lifetime addiction.

It's going to be a problem when you get 'down', yes, but it won't be a problem from everyday stress or your boyfriend breaking up with you or whatever. Basically, as long as you're mentally stable, you should be able to live a normal life without that urge constantly in the back of your mind and having the knives locked away.

James

[Isaiah_41:13]

It definitely does get easier. Promise. It does suck for a while. Congrats!

[Dez]

Originally Posted by Invision

I wouldn't say that the original poster will always have the urge to self-harm; often, the reason of self-harm can go away once it is identified and dealt with. Yes, it's a coping mechanism, but it's a coping mechanism which can be replaced. It is not necessarily a lifetime addiction.

Yeah, I probably should have explained that a bit better, maybe I'm not getting my point across, I haven't thought too straight all day. I agree that it can be replaced, of course. What I'm trying to say is that it gets a lot easier to deal with the urges to the point where you almost never have them, if at all, and if you do get them they get to the point where they are a LOT easier to deal with so that you are able to move on, nothing that you will think about all the time or feel the need to succumb to. Did that do a better job at clearing it up or am I still not making any sense, because if I'm still not getting the point I want to make acrossI do apologize.

[BlaineG.]

Hi There,

It will get easier to cope with Self Harm but I'm afraid that urges will be there always but its all about how you deal with it. If you are coping with the urges in a positive way then it will get easier to go right to your coping skill when you are triggered this takes time but you must be strong! YOU CAN DO IT!

If you ever need to talk please don't hesitate to PM me!


Take Care,

AbusedandIgnored

[TheCrowing]

The more you believe in yourself, the easier it will get. Having doubts will just make it that much harder for you because you'll keep leaning back on SH, which is not a good thing. Just stay strong and keep going. Some days it's harder to get over it than others, but it's worth it.

[Palmolive]

Hi there.

Firstly, well done on being thirty six whole days self harm free because that my friend is absolutely incredible and is a massive achievement. I can honestly say that for me and i believe others on this site, hearing that after someone has struggled with self harm but has gone that long without it, is an inspiration. YOU are an inspiration.

Truth be told recovery from self harm may just be one of the hardest things you have ever had to do and will ever have to do. There is nothing easy about it but this is an awful lot of positives to come out of this. For some people it can take months, for others it can even take years. And during recovery from self harm, there is always the possibility of relapsing and going through days where you just want to give in, but if you keep on fighting that and carry on beating the urges to hurt yourself you will get there. The first several weeks or even the first several months are going to be the hardest, it is going to exhaust you at times and it is going to take time, but when you get out of the hardest part it will get easier. And I honestly believe you can go on to life a life where you don't think about hurting yourself every day. That you can get out of this so keep on fighting it lovely. You're doing such a good job!

Take good care and keep going!
Jessie Louise.

[Lifeblood]

It does get easier and you feel the urges less, but even when you do feel the urge it's still so much easier to deal with the longer you've been SH free because you know you've beaten it before and you can do it again.
I've been free 10 months now I think, I still sometimes want to SH but I know I don't have to, which is what pulls me through it each time.
You've done so well so far, you can do it, good luck!

[Shelby_hack]

I've been clean for a little while and yes it does get easier.
Someday will be harder than others, those are days you need to be surrounded by friends/family.

Sorrow maybe in the night but joy comes in the morning!

Don't give up hope, EVER.

[Skeleton]

I can't speak from experience but I feel it would get easier. The longer you go without it, the less you'll want to do it, I can't say the urges will go away completely but I imagine they'd get less and not as strong.

You've made it 36 days which is amazing and I'm positive you'll make it many more.

[I'm-moving-on]

Congratulations on going so long without SH. I'm sure you can make it even longer. Good luck! Message me anytime you need to.