Self harm

[AsX]

I've been having self harm urges and I almost tried it yesterday but I was too scared. Any advice?

[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.

[.Brittany.]

Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling. There was amazing advice given above. I have decided to also move this thread to self harm as I believe you will get more advice there.

Stay Strong,
Brittany

[Bianca_Mae]

So I completely get where you're coming from. I went through similar issues last year, and they really freaked me out. Like said above, not cutting is already a step in a good direction.

Try investing your time into something you really love. Like for me, I put all my time and energy into dance and reading, and it kept my mind off of the topic of self harm. Basically do whatever you can to not self harm, which I know is not an easy thing.

You are too good of a person to self harm, you deserve better. And I don't want to see you get caught up with self harming. Because once you start, stopping is a whole other battle.

If you have someone in your life you really trust, I recommend telling them. So if you are ever having these urges again, you can maybe talk to them.

Hopefully I helped you a little bit. Just stay strong.

If you ever need to talk just message me.

-Bianca

I understand where you are coming from. I, myself, have done self harm and still do sometimes. Please do NOT start, because you never know if you'll be able to quit. Self Harm is NEVER the answer. If you feel the need to please contact me whenever you need someone to talk to. I have 15 scars from self harm, and I wish I never started because to this day, I still self harm sometimes. Please, please, never start.

Hello. Welcome to Teenhelp. I'm so glad you've joined and are looking for advice on this problem. I went through similar issues 3 years ago, and decided to start. Bad idea. Not cutting right now is already a step in the right direction. I started 3 years ago, and I haven't stopped to the month. You must find an outlet, an activity or someone to talk to (PM me whenever you need to). Stay strong, and do not give into the urges. I wish you the best.