Great job! I have two years of non-cutting under my belt. If you need meds I'd see a doc.. xo

If you have been DX as bipolar ,or suspect you might be.A regular family doctor,a therapist or a LCSW NONE OF THESE PEOPLE are qualified to treat you properly.They do NOT have the expertese.or knowledge that a Phyciatrist does.Seeing a family doctor,who put me on the totally WRONG kind of meds for a BP..delayed my getting the correct kind of health care I needed.
Your family doc ,or therapist should recommend you seeing a phyciatrist for a full and complete evlauation...INSIST if you need to!
Good luck swetie!

I will ALWAYS refuse meds...just something in me...they have never worked for me and I suffer side effects...will never go that road, which makes it a bit tougher..

My MaMA said to NEVER SAY NEVR!!LOL!!
Sometimes MamMa's can be right.Leave your self open to what ever treatment works best for you.

I have seen on tv that people who harm themselves do it to "feel" something. Otherwise, they are numb to the world. Is that right? Is that how you feel?
I have never harmed myself other than punching things that are harder than my hands are (in anger). But I have often felt like no matter what I did, I just couldn't squeeze any pleasure out of it.
Dumb example, but I recently bought a new vehicle. It is my first "new" car (15 mi when I got it), it is really effing cool, but I was just kinda blah about the whole thing. Anything similar to you?
I am seeing an LCSW and he rocks? He got me to go see a specialist so that I would get a proper and accurate diagnosis and wouldn't waste time with a local pill pusher. But after talking to him for a couple of weeks I had more or less sorted out my issues. I then just needed to get on meds to become the centered person I wanted to be. I have always been aware that I had issues and a possible disorder. I analyzed it ad nauseum. My LCSW helped me discover the causes and make sense of it. That was an amazing breakthrough. And knowing is important but will not change how your brain works. I dread the quest for the right meds but am a firm believer that one exists that will improve my life.

As a self injurer, I know that, although it will get easier, the thought of self injuring will always come to mind from time to time. It's kind of like smoking, I suppose. You can quit and reach a point where not having a smoke no longer bothers you, but you will sometimes crave a cigarette for the rest of your life. You're doing sooo well in your recovery! I am only about three months SI free, but so far, doing just fine. I'm hoping this time I continue to do well.

I see a LCSW also, and she is actually the person who diagnosed me with Bipolar Disorder. Before her, I saw both a licensed psychologist with a Ph.D and a psychiatrist, but never once was I dx'd with Bipolar Disorder then. Then, it was BPD, PTSD, Major Depression, and Panic Disorder. Now, it's BPD, Bipolar I, PTSD, OCD, and Panic Disorder. I didn't have much faith in the social worker in the beginning. Well, I actually didn't have much faith in her until just recently. When she dx'd me with bipolar and I was hospitalized a couple of days later and dx'd with it by two different psychiatrists on the crisis unit, I knew she had been right and that changed my view of her. I do still think there are different aspects of my mental illness that she just cannot properly deal with, though. Sometimes when I describe my symptoms to her, she looks puzzled and doesn't say a lot...doesn't seem concerned. That bothers me.

I still hope to see my psychologist again. I have total respect for her! As for a doc...I see a psychiatric nurse who prescribes my meds.

Good luck, hun! Keep fighting the urge to SI. You can beat this!

I actually cut myself for the first time in months the other day. My stomach and under my breasts. Some how it just feels better.

your doing fantastic. i also have si issues, however ive only stayed away from it a little over a month. I personally I feel if your current therapist is working for you why change it. therapy is therapy in my book.

I didn't SI for about a year and a half to almost 2 years. Somedays it was a daily struggle. Then, a few weeks ago, I caved. But, I SI instead of crying. I shove the tears back, burn myself, then I feel better. I have irrational views of adulthood, though. Having a psych degree, you'd think it would change my mind about things, but to me, it only applies to everyone else. It doesn't apply to me. Again, irrational. Anyway, I think you should talk to a psychiatrist. They have good insight. Find out if there are other treatments out there if you really don't want the medication, but, if you need them, take them. They help. There may even be herbal remedies that might help if you'd rather go that route. An LCSW is still a therpaist. I believe you have to have a master's level degree to be licensed. I could be wrong, though. Social work and psychology degrees are different.