i'd say go cold turkey. lol like distract yourself so much that you don't want/need to SI..i haven't stopped for more than a few months but it's a good start. then when all those feelings start to come back, just find someone you can trust that you can like..just attack with your feelings..like if youre mad, yell at them, if you're sad cry at them..like that..idk..might help, it helps me sometimes, it's gonna be a gradual thing though :P it's great you want to stop though, message me if you ever want to talk :) i'm here

You don't need to replace it with anything if you can go to therapy. That's the only way to break the cycle of SI.
You can replace it with anything you like but the underlying issues will still be there. It can be done, i've done it.

There is no alternative for honestly if you have one then you are just substituting the behavior. Just as bad. For me it had to work on the real issues at hand. I had to stop cold turkey.

As a outsider, I'd say get out of the environment, AND get to therapy. The triggers are too close at hand. You can use all kinds of distractions, , but first you need to either get away from the triggers, or assert yourself and.
HUGS

Hey everyone,

Thanks for your responses. Just wanted to add more info here for clarification. I have been in therapy for a few months now and no longer live at home because I am in college.

I tried to quit cold turkey before but had a rough time, and now it is even harder. I don't understand how to distract myself so much that I don't want to SI. Even when I am in class sometimes it is all I can think about.

And I get what you are saying about underlying issues. But right now my therapist wants to build up my coping mechanisms before we go into all the painful things. So that is why I am trying to find alternatives.

one thing i do when i am at the breaking point is go and take a really hot shower. its comforting and makes me feel a little better. maybe give that a try?

exercise.

i don't know one other thing that solves so many problems.

more energy. better shape. improved mood. it's free too.

one of the thingd that helped me is to just only think about distracting myself for 5 mins. and the next 5 mins etc. until the day was over. cos sometimes it can be off putting if we wake up and say right im not going to SH/SI for the whole of today. lol. ur just putting urself up to fail.

running helped distract me, im bk home now with my parents for a while so walking the dog helps.
hope u find the right distraction for u, we have to find our own sometimes. but dnt give in recovery is a long journey.

If you can't go cold turkey, which is the best way and in the end what works, I have used drawing...drawing on where you want to cut..running...writing tons and tons... talking to someone about nothing...scrapbooking...knitting....taking a shower.... baking cupcakes...

I'm still saying cold turkey is the best way, but I totally understand how that is not a good idea when you're stressed. {Good luck}

You are on the right track then. It took me 4 years of CBT to stop. And through the first 3 years i was still cutting everyday (i still do it occasionally when i can't see any other way, but that's not often). One day everything made sense.
I know it's hard and frustrating but you will get there. Have you told her about how you feel?

Dudeeeeee, I know exactly how you feel. I don't think anything ever works precisely the same way SI does. It's ridiculous. All the bs people spit out, rubber bands, ice, marker, anything... I try it and it just fails me. As long as you want to stop you will find something though!! I really wanted to stop and I found music. Playing it, not listening to it. So you just need to find your niche.. sorrry if it's no help.. I tried x.x