Self-Injury Support Group
Whether you or someone you know or love struggles with self-injury, this is the community to discuss your experience, find support, meet others going through the same, and get advice on how to stop. Working together, we can help find alternative coping skills to reduce the urge to self-harm.
My story -
I've had some problems growing up, as a result i started hurting myself on purpose when i was 8. Silly small things, putting marbles in my socks while i was wearing them, keeping my hands in the bath when only the hot water was running, to the point my arms blistered. I became really depressed and decided i was going to try to kill myself, when i was 11. I got a knife and pressed it on my skin and pushed. Not even a scratch. I got scissors and snipped at myself. I really didn't know what i was doing. But later that night my brother came round with 6 cheap stanley knives. I took one, thinking no one would notice. And they didn't. It cut nicely, though to begin with the cuts were barely a scratch.
I started cutting my left hand and lower arm to begin with. Before long my parents found out, due to my obvious depression (i couldn't even get out of bed, i hadn't been to school for months). I was left alone with my dad for a little while after my parents found out (my mum rang her best friend for advice and support), where he strangled me and threw me about. My mum hid every sharp item in the house was hidden from me. Even forks. I felt a fool. I was already in therapy and my mum told them i'd been self harming. I admitted to it, and fooled everyone into thinking i'd stopped.
After what my dad did to me the day he found out i'd self harmed, i swore to myself i'd never see him again. And i didn't. I found out he'd got cancer a week after my 13 birthday. I was in turmoil as to where i'd see him again, but i couldn't. And in April he died. Needless to say my self harm got worse. That summer i ended up in a&e in need of stitches. By this time i'd self harmed on my hands, upper and lower arms (both left and right), my thighs, my feet, my knees, my neck, my face, my chest, my breasts, my hips, my stomach. It was getting so much worse. From time to time i tried burning myself too.
I tried other ways to escape things - typical things - alcohol, sex, drugs. But it wasn't the same. It didn't do for me what self harm did. But i wasn't needing it as much. Sometimes i didn't need to for months at a time, other times i was doing it multiple times a day. Either way, it carried on, hit and miss.
Unfortunately i'm in a bit of a dip right now, and self harm is my crutch, yet again.
I don't see it ever not being a part of me and my life.
Care to tell me your story?
I've had some problems growing up, as a result i started hurting myself on purpose when i was 8. Silly small things, putting marbles in my socks while i was wearing them, keeping my hands in the bath when only the hot water was running, to the point my arms blistered. I became really depressed and decided i was going to try to kill myself, when i was 11. I got a knife and pressed it on my skin and pushed. Not even a scratch. I got scissors and snipped at myself. I really didn't know what i was doing. But later that night my brother came round with 6 cheap stanley knives. I took one, thinking no one would notice. And they didn't. It cut nicely, though to begin with the cuts were barely a scratch.
I started cutting my left hand and lower arm to begin with. Before long my parents found out, due to my obvious depression (i couldn't even get out of bed, i hadn't been to school for months). I was left alone with my dad for a little while after my parents found out (my mum rang her best friend for advice and support), where he strangled me and threw me about. My mum hid every sharp item in the house was hidden from me. Even forks. I felt a fool. I was already in therapy and my mum told them i'd been self harming. I admitted to it, and fooled everyone into thinking i'd stopped.
After what my dad did to me the day he found out i'd self harmed, i swore to myself i'd never see him again. And i didn't. I found out he'd got cancer a week after my 13 birthday. I was in turmoil as to where i'd see him again, but i couldn't. And in April he died. Needless to say my self harm got worse. That summer i ended up in a&e in need of stitches. By this time i'd self harmed on my hands, upper and lower arms (both left and right), my thighs, my feet, my knees, my neck, my face, my chest, my breasts, my hips, my stomach. It was getting so much worse. From time to time i tried burning myself too.
I tried other ways to escape things - typical things - alcohol, sex, drugs. But it wasn't the same. It didn't do for me what self harm did. But i wasn't needing it as much. Sometimes i didn't need to for months at a time, other times i was doing it multiple times a day. Either way, it carried on, hit and miss.
Unfortunately i'm in a bit of a dip right now, and self harm is my crutch, yet again.
I don't see it ever not being a part of me and my life.
Care to tell me your story?
well, i am 15 now.. i started cutting at 8... I have depression, 3 forms of anxiety, and ptsd... when i began cutting no one noticed.. no one began to notice until last year... my mom is an alcoholic, and is never home..every year of my life i have been in a new school, always moving. i would always be watching my younger brother, and still do now... at 12 my dad sexually abused me... i held that in until last year as well... i do still cut.. neck, leg, thigh, arms, stomach.... i have burn myself.... recently i just got out of the hospital for suicidal attempt.... my depression is worsening every day, i am at the point of almost giving up... but trying to hang on.....
I hope things get better for you, and i hope you dont self harm for the rest of your life, you can overcome it. ((hugs))