Hi. So your family doesn't approve of you going to Therapy, where you're attempting to help yourself.....the thing is your a grown woman and you don't need your families approval. Self-harm is a Learned Behavior and its very addictive. The urge to harm yourself comes from the Limbic System of the brain, "The Pleasure Center" the same place that causes addiction to drugs or alcohol. Its why its so hard to quit once you start harming yourself.

If you have a Therapist, the best thing you can do is go to Therapy. Learned Behaviors have to be "un-learned" and replaced with Safe Coping Skills, these are things your Therapist can help you with. You have to find other ways to deal with the Emotions/Issues that cause you to hurt yourself. Its hard to do on your own with no support system.

Self-harm is a hard thing for families to understand, but sometimes you have to do what's best for you, not what's best for your family. You are trying to help yourself, trying to get better, trying to learn how to handle the hard parts of life without clawing yourself until you bleed....it doesn't matter who does or doesn't approve, it matters that you're doing the best you can to get better.

I urge you to keep your Therapy appt. and start really digging in with your Therapist and learn Safe Behaviors and Coping Skills to deal with things so you don't have to keep hurting yourself. Your family will get over it, when they see that your better. Right now you have to your most important thing to worry about.

Take care,
Kat

Idk I’ve been going to therapy for 5 years and look where I am now ... today was a really shitty day at work so now my head is playing massive mind games :(

Well, I'm not the best with family matters, but you are not alone. When I'm in a negative mental state and have bad breakdowns I also use my nails for self harm. I know you have heard it all before that self harm is bad for you and blah blah. But trust me you have so many people at your finger tips who will give you love ans support so you do not have to hurt yourself. There are other things you can do to cope and work through your problems. If you enjoy art or music, maybe you'll have a lot of motivation one day to pick up an old hobby you like, it will do a world of help. Being able to change your mindset to something you enjoy or that will distract you from your daily struggles will maybe help you feel better and get on a better track of less self harm and more happiness. I hope my words help you ad if you need a friend please add me <3 self harm is not your only option, please always remember this.

Try directing the urge somewhere else. Try scratching your bed or some cardboard..

If that’s not enough try pinching instead to ween away from it since it doesn’t leave scars

Even scribbling can be really helpful