Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
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This is just a question but i have the feeling even talking about self harm could become a trigger. so please don't let my question serve as a trigger to you. I am looking for help and solutions for my problem. Solutions are types of treatment that are hopefully effective for self harm.
my question is, is there a self harm support group here? I haven't noticed one. i do believe there are self harmers here. i am having such a hard time finding help. my therapist is great and always tries to find a treatment plan that will work for me but she knows she can't do it alone. i'd need to be with her every day! but when we look for something, i get rejected or not accepted. i don't qualify. and really - i think - there just isn't a plan - a program - that is designed to help a self harmer who can't stop self harming.
I hope there is a group here that is for self harmers. I hope i can find self harmers who have stopped and can share their way of achieving success. i just don't want to do this anymore but when it comes to stopping, i just can't. i don't think that makes any sense and it just spreads my misery around everywhere. i search and don't find. why?
https://www.dailystrength.org/group/self-injury
https://www.dailystrength.org/group/suicidal-self-harm-thoughts
one thing that helped me was to learn to identify and name my feelings...was i angry,scared,lonely,rejected,etc. .....and learn how to cope with those feelings in healthier ways....
journaling helps a lot for me,as does simple creative writing.expressing oneself through art always helps many people,as do distraction techniques.
sharing how i am feeling with others,here for instance,helps a lot...
i personally had to stop drinking alcohol as it increased my impulsivity for self harm far too much.
i rarely now get strong urges to self harm,although it intrudes on my thoughts now and then,but i try an use the tools i have learned of......if the urge gets too intense i take a piece of ice in a cloth and hold onto that and feel the sensation to ground myself.....grounding exercises have been vital in my stopping my self harm.
i'm sorry if i am telling you things you already know,and i hope you can get the support here on DS suggested to you above that you so badly need.
in the least of things,please know you have all my empathy...i know it is a really hard road....
I've never self harmed, although when I was younger I certainly felt the urge and have always just sort of understood it. If you want to talk, I'm here and will do what I can to help...even if it's only to just listen.
I know that there are "tricks" to distract you to help stop, but I've heard mixed results for how helpful they are. (Hey, if it was easy, it wouldn't be a problem...right?)
Just my thoughts but I think a lot of it is a control thing. That always comes out sounding bad, which I never understood. Parents/teachers are always trying to teach kids control so early. Right? So in some ways, this is something under your control, which beats the hell out of not-knowing-when the next mental/physical/sexual/emotional blow will strike.
Big hugs, Patti