How can I stop cutting myself ?


Question:
I started cutting again the other night. I have everything I want except one thing: Jake .. how can I get him and stop cutting?

Answers:
Put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it when you want to cut. It hurts, so it provides a lot of the same release, but it doesn't damage your body like cutting does. That usually works for me.

Take whatever you'd normally use to cut yourself, and cut a piece of cardboard instead. The back of a notepad works well, or an old cardboard box. Or if you don't have any cardboard around, several sheets of paper should do.

Another thing that only works if you don't cut very deep is put a bandaid wherever you'd normally cut and then cut that instead of your skin. You have to be careful not to cut the skin under it, though. It sounds weird, but cutting it is kind of the same consistencey as cutting your skin, and you can kind of feel the motion of the knife through the bandaid but it doesn't do any damage. Plus ripping the bandaid off after hurts, so that's the rubber band thing again.

Some other things I've heard are squeeze an ice cube in your hand when you want to cut, or hold it against your skin wherever you normally cut. Same idea as the rubber band. I've never tried that one though - gets everything all wet.

Another thing is start keeping a diary, and write or draw what you're feeling when you want to cut. That one's never worked for me (I can never get myself to focus on it), but a lot of people find it helps.

Finally, in addition to whatever else you do, talk to a therapist. Ultimately, the things I listed are short-term fixes, but the best way to quit cutting is to figure out what's causing you to cut and fix it. Plus, a therapist might prescribe antidepressents or other pills depending what's going on for you that would make it easier to stop cutting by fixing what's making you unhappy or stressed in the first place.
Stop using scissors or knives, you are obiously very unstable. Get help


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