Keep yourself busy, call someone...take a bath,read,write,watch t.v., take a drive,loud music....those are just some of the things i do when i get urges. I even sometimes write all over with red pen or marker, no it isn't the same but it sometimes works. You need to do some positive self talk as well, like I can't cut that will only be temporary relief, I need to stay away from this because I deserve better. I hope some of that might work for you!

I was a really bad cutter at one point in my life. I hit an all-time low when I wouldn't stop bleeding. I bandaged myself up and wore black so that no one would see the blood. At that point I promised myself not to do it anymore because over the period of time that I was cutting the cuts got continually worse because they needed to be in order to get what I needed out of it. I have been nearly cut free for 1 year and 9 months. The urges that I get are hard sometimes. After relapsing one day I decided to put my knife in a place that would be really hard for me to get to it without someone noticing (no one knew I was a cutter, so if they saw me with this knife they would know). This made it harder for me to act upon my urges. The times when no one was home were the most difficult because then I could do whatever I wanted and no one would notice. On these occassions I found activities that worked for me to keep myself from cutting. My activities were playing basketball, leaving the house if I knew that I couldn't control it, journaling my feelings, taking a shower, and my favorite-watching Oprah. You just have to find what works for you. Also, you have to believe in yourself and see yourself as worthy of not being hurt. I was abused as a child, and once it stopped I continued the cycle with self abuse. You need to believe that you can do it, and also know that you are human and will make mistakes at times. Don't let these relapses control what you do from then on.

you'll survive. i completely understand what you're dealing with. one time i wanted to so bad that i scratched at myself in my sleep that night, and it drew blood. loud music helps me, or calm music, depending on what's making me feel this way. or i'll call a friend, or play with my siblings, or go to my boyfriend's house. when i'm at school and can't do these things i usually just sit and write whatever comes to my head. no matter how silly it seems, writing every little thought you have really helps. good luck!!!

I can't tell you how to just "get over it", it's a life long fight. I just recently started having urges again and if you ever need to talk, I'm around.

people have posted great advice. i've been cut free for a very long time...over five years. all of the suggestions below helped me. i just wanted to add that at some point you do realize that cutting actually just makes you feel worse...it doesn't solve anything. i would start thinking about that--instead of visualizing cutting and the feeling it brought immediately afterwards, i would start visualizing the feeling that ALWAYS came after that--knowing that my bad feelings were still there, would come again, and now i just had one more stupid scar to hide. i'd concentrate on the fact that it would only make me feel relieved for a very short time, but afterwards i always felt stupid or disappointed with myself for doing it again.

so, i'd start to rely on the sort of activities listed by everyone and eventually found things that brought release and didn't make me feel like shit in the long run.

and get therapy. there is nothing like having a smart caring person, who understands healing processes, and is required BY LAW to not tell anyone anything you say.

GOOD LUCK!