hey sweeties. i can understand your pain. i began self injury at 8 years old and continued for 8 years. i can now stand here (figuratively, haha) and tell you all that october will be my two year mark since my last time. i still get urges all the time, almost every day...but i am living proof that it can really stop,...and just like treanna posted, i'm totally willing to talk to, or just listen to, any one of you. shoot me a message if you need some support! i'm here!

Stopping S.I. is so so hard, I've been clean for 2 years now and last night I could barely clean a knife without wanting to press is again my skin. I quit by cold turkey, I just finally decided that I didn't want my life to be revolved around all this hate that was effecting my family and friends, so it really comes down to the question...do you really want to stop cutting? For me it took alot of dedication and relapses to get me to where I am now, so it's not an easy road but neither is cutting.

I know how you feel about that person you're talking about. I made a promise to my best friend that I would stop cutting. That was 3 years ago...I haven't seen him in 2 years. You just have to keep that promise to yourself that you will push through and stop cutting.

Keep making goals for yourself...stop cutting for a week, and then two and eventually a month will come!! My biggest advice I can give you is if you can't make your goals and you relapse don't feel bad...get back on the bus and start fresh the next day :)

*hugs*

i have the same friend situation. Our school year started 3 weeks ago, and all of my friends seemed to have changed, and didn't care about me cutting anymore. Just focus on something else. Exercise works best for me. Just do as many push ups as You can, or go running, It doesn't matter how good You are, it helps You shift your focus

my self injury began when i was 4. I practiced self injury in many forms for 32 years. I am 48 now, clean more than 12 years.
When i first stopped I did have many times of temptation to go back and use again. a couple of years ago I had a bad time where i was tempted for two months.
For me, self injury was just another of many addictions. Just another form of escapism. A way to manipulate or alter my state, so i didnt have to deal with whatever.
My self injury began as a result of abuse and molestation...i consider that it was a direct result of my abuse...along with two other addictions(what i called suicidal fantasy and sex addiction) all of which i had from the age of four. As i grew up, i developed 8 other addictions(including drugs gambling codependancy, rage and more) all of which were destructive forms of escapism.
As you can imagine, i spent alot of years being a huge mess. by the time i faced my self injury, i had spent many years in 12 step programns for my other addictions, and i began to apply those same principals to my self injury when i finally decided to face it.
I am not only free from all my addictions, but my life is actually good now. It was never good the years i used. I Thank God for my freedom, and believe God is the only reason i lived thru, much less have come to this place where i live now in peace.
I guess ive said all that to make one single point. It is possible to have recovery. I hope each of you can find the peace and comfort i have.

I feel like I was reading something written about me......I was clean for almost a year and now its like everything was just a waste of time. How can it ever stop?

"But what can i do when the pain start calling to be released and seen, viewed by all who've hurt and angered me and shown so that other will see my pain. It's not a cry for attention or love far from it. Its a show of my pain that has been allowed to be released.
It helps hide the true pain i feel but only for so long."

WoW, ive never heard it worded like this. Its exactly how i feel! I wish i knew what to tell you or that one youll just b able to stop, but its not that easy. I do believe that with the right healing prossess that we can become 'sober' like someone hooked on drugs. where we dont cut.. but thank you for posting, its helped me to know someone else feels the way i do.

i've been struggling with this for 10 years, it is very hard to stop, it is an addiction. The public discusses alcoholism and drug addiction but not other addictions such as SI. I know it is very difficult to stop i still struggle it's a one day at a time thing. I do make long term goals but it is still one day at a time. I honestly can't say there is a positive 100% cure. I do know that it has been done though, SI has been beaten.It takes time and hard work and it takes a lot of support. I beleive that everyone including myself can overcome it. I really hope that you will find something to help you overcome this.

Yes its possible. Intense therapy...in a way breaking open each scar refeeling each emotion attached to previously suppressed emotions has proven for me to be affective. it has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life....but its working. I hardly self injure....but I do get the thoughts. Its a lifelong struggle that can be conquered...its just a lot of hard work emotionaly.

Good luck to you.

For me it has been a therapist, outpatient dbt program, intense program that is four days a week for three hours a day, and med combination. Its not for everyone, but for me it has been effective.

best of luck

Redtears

I dont feel i have control over my self harm especially when
im so angry its like another person has taken over i wished i could help you stop but i cant help myself stop....The BIG thing for me that makes me stop even when im close to it is i know it would hurt my boyfriend and he means the world to me and i love him so much and would NEVER hurt him and i also know it would hurt my parents and there my world too so i always think of those important to me and it makes me think twice...But not everyone has support and someone around them to help there stop and cope...if you need someone to talk to im here x