I've been cutting for 4 years. The longest I ever quit was almost 6 months and that was in the first year I started. Since I started again I haven't quit longer than 3 weeks. I want to stop but I don't know how. I've tried snapping rubber bands, the butterfly project, and drawing lines instead but that hasn't worked. The first time I had quit was pretty easy because I hadn't done it for very long but now I'm totally lost on how to do this..

Hey there,

First off, welcome to TeenHelp, and congratulations on taking such a big step in seeking help with your Self Harm.

Here, there's a resource of Alternatives, which you can access quickly at www.teenhelp.org/alternatives; it offers a massive list if things to try, so give some of them a go - not everything works for everyone, but hopefully you can find something that works better than what you've already tried.

Another major thing, though, is that the cause of your self harm needs to have gone. You may be getting urges out of habit now, but I'm sure something will have caused it to begin with. If you haven't already, you need to get support to ensure that stops as well, so that you're happier.

I wish you the best of luck on your journey to recovery; remember, throughout it all, ups and downs, TeenHelp is here for you. Anytime you like - for a chat, rant or for advice and support, feel free to PM me (there's a link below this post in my signature) and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Hi there! to TH

I'm glad you want to stop self harming, this is great. This is a huge step, and I'm proud of you for taking it. As Adam showed you, the alternatives thread is a good place to start. A lot of people try the commonly known alternatives. This provides a lot of different ways to abstain from self-harm. You can also post in the Self-Harm Free thread, as that may be a help, too.

I agree with what Adam said, you need to ensure that the cause of your self-harming is no longer there.

Message me if you need anything