Triggering (ED): using other methods to self harm and escape

Have any of you given up self harm ( I am 60 days or so without) but taken on other destructive habits such as bingeing, purging, starving, drinking and smoking weed? How did you overcome this? I don't want to go back to cutting but it seems a lot better than all of this.

I don't usually post but been struggling a bit and any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[hocus pocus]

Yes, I have given self-harm up so many times and then did other harmful things to myself. I almost look at it as that my cutting and all of my other destructive methods are on a see-saw or something. This is something that I still haven't found out how to deal with. My old therapist suggested working on the more harmful thing first, and then working with something else. But every destructive method is pretty harmful. Sorry for lack of advice, but you aren't alone <3

[Catharsis.]

Hi, Jenna!

I haven't ever taken up another destructive behaviour while not self-harming, but I find that some of the other issues I have (depression, anxiety etc.) get worse. I don't really have advice for dealing with it, but if you're seeing a professional, you could talk to them about what's going on, and they might be able to come up with a plan for how to deal with it.

And don't worry about asking for help, we all need support sometimes! Hang in there!

~ Gareth

[Palmolive]

Like yourself, when I've attempted to stop self harming, other dangerous behaviours I engaged in would get worse. Smoking, drinking, doing drugs etc. I started doing these things, to replace self harm. At points it got so bad, I overdosed.

I think the thing here, is that you might be trying to stop self harm, which is brilliant and I'm really proud of you for that (you're doing so well!) but that even though you're stopping the self harming, the underlying problem is still there. You know? So you still need some release because that problem hasn't been dealt with. So to me, I think you need to start dealing with what ever it is that causes all of these urges and needs to engage in these behaviors and then alongside with it, as you start to overcome the underlying problem, you'll also slowing stop engaging in these behaviours too. Does that make any sense?

If you ever want a chat, you know where I am love. <3

[BlackVeilBridesBridesmaid]

I just need a way out of cutting. I still cut and don't know how to stop, and am to scared to go to a therapist or counselor. I've told my close friends, but they don't know how to help either. Anyone know how??

[Lumos.]

Well i have stopped cutting, but i recently have started drinking when i feel depressed. I have not yet overcome that.
All of the things you mentioned are bad, they all damage your body in some way.
I am sorry to hear that you are struggling, the only advice i can give that has helped me is distract yourself. Watch movies, write, play video games, exercise, read, draw, ect.
If you ever need to talk, i'm always here.

[Coffee.]

I have never been 100% clean from harming myself since I was a teenager. If I'm not cutting, I'm always doing something else such as purging, restricting, or abusing substances. So, although I can't give you any advice since I'm in the exact same boat, I can reassure that you're not alone. I'd recommend confiding to somebody you love that can help you through the weak moments. It's important to reach out to others in order to recover from any problem, especially when problems coincide as yours do.

[my.tai]

I gave up self harm a long time ago it seems, I also struggled with anorexia, and smoking weed. I found myself focusing on the self harm more when I kept track of the last time I did it. I know the reasons and logic behind keeping track (I used to do it too), but I found that all it did was cause me to think about it more and crave the feeling and relief it gave me more.

Please know that I am in no way trying to diminish your accomplishments. That's amazing, and you should be so proud of yourself! It can be such a difficult thing to break the cycle of self harm.

What helped me was the shame (believe it or not), I felt so ashamed of my scars and my struggles. I wanted to feel beautiful, and my scars made me feel ugly and disgusting. I wanted to feel confident, and the self harm stole that from me. Every time I wanted to self harm and DIDN'T, I rewarded myself. I made sure to reward myself with a special smoothie, or tea. Something I only did when I resisted the urge to harm myself. It was my form of self loving.

Now it is years later and I no longer desire to self harm because I have reached the point where I love how feeling confident feels, and not feeling self-concious in my own skin. It is an amazing feeling, and I want that for you too.

I BELIEVE IN YOU!

If you need to chat or have questions, please feel free to message me.