I used to cut- alot- or scratch or anything that physically hurt ot block out everything else...I've always had eating disorders too- I haven't cut in years, but I do very rarely scratch-or I should say my kids do (I'm a partially integrated multiple), but mostly I revert to the food issues when under a huge amount of stress-like righ tnow...I've been fighting the urge all day to binge out-I even bought cake mix and frosting (I figure if I have to wait for it to bake and cool by then I may be able to modify how much I binge-it helps a bit)the thing is- I have and addictive personality- a few eeks ago I was on the exercise binge-ywice a day 45 minutes-hour ont he elliptical and any time I ate anything I would jump on if I could-I gues I figure if I'm going to overdo-exercising isn't too bad..Stay with your therapist- if you've been cut free for that long- you're going great!I'm very happy for you-I'm here if you need ot talk
Jen(JJK)

When I was a kid I cut, but my parent's put a stop immediately to it. I was intimidated, so I resorted to restriction and lost a lot of weight. I am now a grown woman, I feel the urge sometimes to cut, but never have, but I have bad ED issues. I have gone straight back to my old ED crap as a poor coping mechanism.....so I hear ya there. Hang in there hon, you are doing wonderful working with your therapist, and not cutting for so long!! Keep up the hard work.

I think that ignoring myself is probably my worst coping mechanism. I have gotten so good at it. I used to cut, and still often have the desire to do so, but instead, tell myself that I am behaving stupidly or that I'm overreacting to a situation. I say this is my worst coping mechanism because I'm not coping at all. I'm continuing to abuse myself by ignoring what I need or want.
Take Care of You

When I was younger I was bulemic and anorexic. It was easier to deal with that pain than everything else that was going on. Now I'm a cigerette smoker. It's not the worst of bad vises but I have a kid and she deserves to have a mother around. It has a cancer warning on the box for crying out loud. Anyway, that's my struggle.

OMG, have I?? Honestly, right now I'm stuggling with the notion of my father sexually abusing me as a kid.(working on the truth atm)
I've had a horrible drug addiction off and on for WOW, many years, that I can hardly count. (sober almost 9 months now) If you need to talk either way, I'm around for ya. Take care

I cut for 35 years...but have been SI free since January 2007. It has been hard, but I have found others ways to self-soothe. I walk a lot now...walk and walk and walk.

yup cutting is a bad way
ive been out of that a long time now
i wont say it never crosses my mind
just a hell of a lot less.

drinking can screw you up.

I'm a self harmer,wish I could stop,but as yet I haven't found anything that works as well for me.

I can relate to what your saying. Im 43. Been a cutter for over 20 yrs. Stopped 12 days ago but fighting it big time today. I've got a rubberband that I wear 24/7 and it usually helps. Its not a good way to cope but its worked for so long, its hard to stop sometimes.

I think a lot of us have bad coping skills, its part and parcel of things happening in secret and surrounded by shame and guilt. I cut and burn, have self harmed for a long time but I'm trying to find better ways to cope. I also smoke and am trying to substitute the cutting for smoking coz its more socially acceptable.

Realising we have bad coping mechanisms and trying to find better ways is a hugh step but one I hope we can all take!

I've experienced many different destructive coping strategies. I've cut on several occasions, not on a daily basis but when things get way too much it's the first thing that comes to mind and I tend to give in. I also abuse alcohol, abuse sleeping pills (sleep to avoid the world), and marking my body. It's all done on a binge whenever things get rough, none of these are daily practices but still negative non the less.

horrible coping mechanisms... for me sometimes they have names, like doug or jp or josh. sometimes it's lying there and taking whatever they want to do to me, or it's cutting, or I sleep because in deep sleep there is no consciousness. I've stopped with the promiscuity, now that I know where it was coming from. Meaningless man free for about 2 years. The other less noticeable things are harder to stop. I sleep an average of 12-14 hours a day. It makes it hard to find time for life. Therapy and medication where a godsend to me, until I couldn't afford either. Now i'm trying to focus on being more involved in other aspects of my life, like my faith and my career. Keeping busy and keeping my mind off of my problems is important. It's a challenge. I've just started this so I don't know how it's going to work out.