How to Stop Cutting Yourself
Cutting yourself is a serious and dangerous condition that should be taken seriously, and not ignored. Do you find yourself abusing your body when you're feeling bad? If so, you are not alone. The Mental Health Foundation of the UK estimates self-harm "affects at least 1 in 15 young people." The following tips might help you stop the cycle, but the majority of people cannot stop on their own. If you feel you need professional help, then do not be ashamed to seek it! In addition to steps you can take towards self-healing, you'll also find a list of helpful sites.
Steps
"Tell someone you trust."When you feel like cutting yourself confide in someone you trust. A teacher, school counselor, parent, friend, relative, etc... will do just fine. If they don't know about your current struggle tell them about it and tell them you need their help to keep yourself from cutting again. Whenever you have the urge to cut talk to this person. Out of personal experience the school counselor was the best choice to help with my cutting. Be aware that if a counselor is told they have to tell your parents.
Keep a hotline number with you at all times. When you feel the urge to cut, pick up the phone and call the hotline. Crisis hotline staff are trained to provide support and offer you alternatives to cutting yourself. However, you should remember that a professional crisis clinician will be clear that it is NOT his or her job to "talk you out of" cutting yourself - you make your own choices, and you must take responsibility for cutting or not cutting. Do not be ashamed to ask for support when you need it, as this affliction affects people from all walks of life.
Remove cutting tools from your immediate area. If you have to take the time to look for something with which to cut yourself, you may find you have just given yourself enough time to deal with the impulse. Also keep sharp objects away from you.
Identify the 'trigger' that gives you the urge to cut. The moment you have the urge to cut, stop and think of what has just occurred. Remember it and try to avoid these situations! When they do occur, try to create another outlet. Walk away, eat ice cream, take a shower or bubble bath, go out for a jog, go for a swim, call a friend for coffee at the local coffeehouse but do not cut.
As soon as you feel the urge to cut yourself, take a deep breath, fold your arms, close your eyes and relax. Tell yourself that you are not going to cut. If possible, lie down somewhere. Stay like this until the urge goes, then quickly phone a helpline or use another means of getting help.
Find another way to vent. Cutting is a way to release some type of pain or frustration. Try painting, writing about your feelings, singing, dancing, playing an instrument, or playing a sport. Even screaming at the top of your lungs helps. Try anything you can (as long as it's legal and healthy) to stop the urge to cut.
Release the pain without cutting by using your voice. Talk to someone--a doctor, teacher, friends, your parents if you can. You will be surprised how relieved you will feel after you talk about it. If you chose a doctor or a counselor, they can get you the help you need to heal the underlying cause. Speak out loud about what is causing you so much pain. Talk about it - even to yourself, in the privacy of your bedroom. Yell or scream - anything to release the tension inside of you - but do not cut.
Help yourself by imagining that you are your best friend. If she was just about to cut herself, what would you say to stop it?
Recognize that cutting is just the symptom of a root problem. Follow the above steps to stop yourself from cutting, but also seek help from a doctor, parent, or counselor to address the deeper problems that make you want to cut in the first place.
Tips
Don't Let people stereotype you as emo because you cut. Those people are ignorant.
Snapping a rubber band on your wrist is not a good suggestion as it re-enforces that you can fix your problems by hurting yourself. It is merely a "cop-out" and you shouldn't do this or any other method of hurting yourself to stop cutting.
Don't let people judge you either; it makes things worse. Believe in yourself.
Warnings
Self-mutilation can lead to infections and permanent scars. Cutting is dangerous. There is a possibility that you may accidentally hit an artery and possibly bleed to death. Even greater a risk is that you may cut one or more tendons and cripple your hand.
The visual effects of the cuts could inflict pain on the people you love such as friends and family.
People love you, both friends and family. You need to go to at least one of them and tell them what you are going through. It will be the first step you will take on the road to feeling better.
Many Internet forums and online cutter forums are counter-productive to helping the cutter overcome their problem. Most often these forums only serve to encourage the behavior.
Be wary of forums that encourage you to post photographs of your scars or injuries in exchange for praise and/or encouragement
YOU CAN STOP!!!!
How to Stop Cutting Yourself - wikiHow
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