[Everglow.]

Hey there,

First of all, welcome to TH. I'm so glad that you've come here to look for advice and I really hope that you manage to find something useful from being here. We're a really lovely bunch of people and I've seen some of the best advice given by the volunteers and members here, so I'm sure somebody will be able to give you some advice which will be useful to you. Feel free to branch out and use the other site features too! For example, the LiveHelp feature is an IM service where you can chat to one of the volunteers on a one to one basis and they can give you some advice with an issue you're having. So, if you find that you don't receive the right advice here, explore a bit! This site has so many wonderful features and I really hope you find something to help.

Well done on not acting on the urges. I know how difficult it can be to avoid giving in but you did it, and that's something to be really proud of. The good news is, that there are loads of ways you can stop yourself giving in in the future too, it's just about figuring out what works for you. If you take a look here you will find a long long list of things you can try when the urges are there. For example, you can try scribbling on some paper so that you can release some of the negative energy that's causing the urges. You can also try hitting something soft, such as a pile of pillows, or drawing on your arms with a pen where you want to hurt yourself so that you still physically have a way to occupy your hands, but one which doesn't result in you getting hurt.

It's a long list, and not everything will work for you on there, but keep at it and you'll find a way that best fits your personality and needs. I think it's so great that you didn't give in, and it's a really strong thing to be able to have the will power to ignore the urges and treat yourself better than they tell you to. Remember that, as hard as this all can be, you're worth so much more than to hurt yourself. Nobody deserves to be hurt, especially not by themselves, so fight through this. Reach out to us if you need to, and PM me if you fancy a chat any time! You can do this.

Take care, I hope this has helped a bit.