[Emily.]

Hey Marrisa, first of all i think it's great that you want to give it up. That is the first step towards beating this addiction. And it is just that, an addiction. You were right in seeing that a lot of the symptoms are the same as with things like drugs and alcohol.

I also think that when giving it up we do kind of go thru something like a withdrawal period, but with time it does get easier. I'm glad u have found that writing and playing guitar help you fight the urge to self-harm. Idk wat you have all tried, but i really find walking and listening to music to help me too.

What kind of support system do you have around you? If your boyfriend is the only one that knows, i can see how it would be extremely hard not having him near. But i agree that talking to him on the phone would prbly help a lot more than just texts. I also think you should talk to some other people around you whether it's your parents or other friends.

Another thing i would suggest is maybe talking to a counselor about this. They can help you get more to the root of the problem. I found that when i tried to quit without actually dealing with the problems that were causing it, i just switched to another bad habit. Plus it's nice to have someone nonjudgemental to talk to sometimes.

I hope your doing okay right now and feel free to pm me anytime.
<3 emily