Ideas please???

Former Member

I started self-harming 9 years ago and I've discovered that I can go for well over a year without harming. But I keep turning back to self-harm. I've tried keeping journals and I'm pretty aware of my triggers but I still can't stop turning back to harming.

Anyone got any ideas of other ways that I could try to avoid harming?

Thanks

Tiff

Former Member

Hi

Have you had any counselling with regards to your self harm? The reason I ask is because of the nature of self harm, being a maladaptive coping mechanism. I too have a long history of self harm, and I always feel prone to that way of coping. Self harm can manifest itself in various forms, and not all of those are physical attacks on the body. It can also involve behaviour that damages your financial wellbeing, or your general health, etc. Deliberate harming of oneself as a coping mechanism is something that I can only see changing with extensive therapy to identify your triggers and to develop healthier coping mechanisms in place of the unhealthy ones. Without a reprogramming of our thought patterns then it would be hard to replace self harming with anything that feels as potent as a distraction.

I might be wrong, but as yet I've not found anything on my own that has totally taken away that impulse to self destroy when things are at their worst. I say that from the position of having never stuck to counselling despite repeated attempts.

Just my initial thoughts.

Former Member

Yea, I went to counselling for about 2 months and we both agreed that it wasn't going anywhere. I'm very aware that I think about doing destructive things all the time but rarely act upon them. Like they're fantasies.
Like I said I'm pretty aware of my triggers and I generally try to avoid them where possible but there are some that I can't avoid.

I think you're right with the whole finding healthier coping mechanisms but I'm sick of going to my GP over it because I'm not getting anywhere and they just keep pumping me with drugs (really doesn't make me feel any better) and I fear that I'll become addicted or something

I just don't know where to turn anymore for help

Former Member

I don't know how much it would suit you or if you are into exercise but you could try going running or doing a similar sort of exercise while you feel stressed or have the need to self harm.

On the one hand exercise is healthy but if you push yourself you get to the stage where you start to ache, get out of breath or have blisters. Just keeping on running regardless of how much it hurts can give you a bit of a rush and in some regard it's a similar feeling to just harming yourself for the sake of it. The further you run the more tired you become and eventually whatever was on your mind is replaced by the feeling of fatigue.

I doubt it would work for everyone but sometimes when I've been down in the dumps it's really helped.

Former Member

superchick1234 wrote: »

Yea, I went to counselling for about 2 months and we both agreed that it wasn't going anywhere. I'm very aware that I think about doing destructive things all the time but rarely act upon them. Like they're fantasies.
Like I said I'm pretty aware of my triggers and I generally try to avoid them where possible but there are some that I can't avoid.

Counselling is limited, you'd be better asking your GP for a specialist referral to something like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Mindfulness training, both of which focus on identifying triggers (which you've done - congratulations) and then taking that further by slowing down your thoughts in response to them so that you can change your behaviour in responding to the triggers. In the long-term that's more effective than avoiding the triggers entirely (as you say, this is often not possible).

Stand your ground with your GP, maybe see someone else at your surgery. Don't entirely discount anti-depressants, they do have a certain effect on many people but they aren't a cure.

Former Member

Thanks guys,

I think I will definitely talk to my GP again (it would seem that cutting out the pills completely has made things terribly worse ). I'll see what else they can offer me beside counseling and medication and try and find something that suits me.

Thanks again.