Wanting to Cut

[Spiderbaby]

I've been self harming on and off since the age of nine. The last time I cut was about 3 months ago. Now the urge to cut is almost too much. I want to so bad. I dont know what to do. I cannot think about anything else

[Discombobulated]

Hey there,

First of all i just want to say three months is brilliant, well done! Self Harm is a very hard thing to stop, and sometimes we get these urges, but you need to fight them. I would suggest taking a look at the alternatives thread, they will help to distract you while the urges fade. It is trial and error and not all of them may work for you, but hang in there and you will find one that does.
You can get through this, stay strong and believe in yourself.

If you ever want/need to talk, feel free to PM me
Take care
Charli

[Bridghid]

Three months isn't chump change. Good job! Looking at the alternatives thread is a good idea. What have you done for the past few months that have helped you control the urge to self injure? Maybe talking about how you are feeling, and what has brought you to this point will help you to understand how to avoid triggers.

If you want to talk, please feel free to PM me.

[Spiderbaby]

Originally Posted by Bridghid

What have you done for the past few months that have helped you control the urge to self injure?

I basically don't think about it and suppress my feelings. This works for a while but of course eventually all goes to shit. Then all my emotions hit me at once and I feel like all I can do is cut to calm down

[Bridghid]

It sounds as if the suppression of your emotions isn't helping you very much. What is happening that is building up for you? I know it can be scary to talk about such personal things online, but would talking to someone you trust such as a counselor help? There are also lists of other coping strategies to help you in the interm. The Adolescent Self Injury Foundation website has a list of things you can try.

If you would like to talk, there are many people on this site (including myself) that would like to hear from you. Stay strong, and message me if you need to.

[Iris. ♥]

First of all, congratulations on being 3 months self harm free! That's a huge accomplishment and you should be incredibly proud of yourself.

I know what it's like to feel those urges to hurt yourself, especially when everything seems to blow up in your face at once. As other posters have said, looking at this alternatives thread is a great idea. Also, I would definitely recommend that you find someone to talk to. Whether it's someone on TH, a counselor, or a close friend, talking about your feelings is so helpful in stopping yourself from cutting.

[Total Light Storm]

First, I'd like to say congrats on being three months Self Harm free! That is great and you should be really proud of getting there.
I understand how you are feeling, when all you can think about and want is to cut.
It is a really hard thing to get past and it takes a lot of effort and determination, but it is possible.
I know it's been said, but I can't explain how extremely useful some of the alternatives have been for me and others, once you find some that work for you, that should help a little bit with the urges.
Also, talking to someone is another great idea and if you ever need someone to talk to, you can PM me or anyone you feel like talking to and we will try to help.
Another idea is using the hotlines:
www.teenhelp.org/hotlines
They can be very useful and you can talk to a person that can help you work through situations and be a person to listen to you.
I hope I have helped and if you ever need anything, you can message me.
Take care.