Ways to stop cutting part 1

Self harm happens most often when you feel so numb, your emotions are uncontrollable. It will, in a sense, give you the power to feel alive and feel something real- you have the power to make something happen to you that no one else can. There are so many different ways to stop, but the most important thing is to remember that you, yes you reading this, are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L and you will be OK. Hopefully this will help you stay strong in this time of hardship.

Overcoming The Urge

Method 1- distract yourself
Go to somewhere you can't cut. If you're at home, go lie on your bed. take your phone, a pencil and paper and NOTHING else. This is basically giving yourself a mature time-out. If you're outside,  find somewhere out in the open, like a park bench or anyway in full view of others. Plant yourself there. Know that it shall pass and keep saying it to yourself. If you say it enough times, you will end up believing it.

Right now is all about distractions, so if you can make a call, do it. You don't even have to tell the person what the issue is, just talk about anything. Catch up on gossip, chat about things you like... that sort of thing. They'll bring you away from whatever's going on.
If you can't make a phone call, find something to concentrate on. Try to make yourself physically uncomfortable. If the sun is too bright, stay there. If your ass is falling asleep, stay put.

Speak out loud about what is causing your pain, even to yourself in the privacy provided by the four walls of your room. Doing this will help relieve you of the tension and allow time to let thee urge to pass. Talking loudly in clear, understandable words can make your situation clearer and less difficult to solve. It also helps to relax you and will let you breathe easier. if writing it down is easier and seems less crazy than talking to yourself or a random stranger, write it all down. Grab a pen, pencil, tube of lipstick, whatever you can find and let the words flow out. Bottling up your emotions will make it worse!!!

Method 2- the butterfly method

Whenever you feel the urge to harm yourself, draw a butterfly where you want to do so and name it after a loved one. If you cut there anyway, the butterfly dies. If it wears off, the butterfly is released and free in the wild. When it wears off, congratulate yourself- YOU DID IT!!!

Method 3- the pen method

Take a red pen and draw lines, squiggles, symbols, whatever you want all over where you would have cut, then count them. That's how many scars you won't have.

Method 4- TELL SOMEONE

You can go tell people what's going on. They wont bite. This is probably one of the hardest things to do, but as most difficult things go, it's important to do so. Creating a stable system of support can and will help you move from cutting to recovery. Best people to confide in are close friends and family.

Don't confide in a fellow cutter, since you will probably end up discussing methods and incidents instead of helping you recover. Tell someone you trust and respect... Someone who can help you improve.

Ignore any feelings of shame, even if you can only do it for a second. You only need the time it takes to let the words out. Since you've chosen someone trusted enough to be told this, they will care for you enough to help you focus on helping yourself instead of making you feel crummy and shame.

Don't worry if your chosen persons response is shock, fear or disgust at first. Most people who have never self harmed don't understand the urge to do this but that doesn't mean they wont listen and be compassionate.

The best plan is to tell the person not to tell anyone. Explain that you don't want your situation leaking out and it would help you to recover if you knew that your secret was safe with them.
Ask them if you could talk to them when you feel the urge. Having someone to talk to when you feel crap can distract you from cutting, therefore speeding up your recovery.

If you ever feel like you cant talk to anyone you know about your self harm, call a hotline. The staff at the other end of the line are trained to provide advice, support and alternatives to cutting. If you can't talk to anyone close yet, the hotlines aren't tracked and you can talk anonymously about your problems. Try to make a habit of this when your about to cut. Here are some hotlines you can call:

For the US:

1-800-273-TALK (8255): National Suicide Prevention Hotline, a 24-hour crisis line for if you're about to self-harm.
1-800-334-HELP (4357): The Self-Injury Foundation's 24-hour crisis line.
1-800-366-8288: S.A.F.E. Alternatives information line for immediate support and/or referrals to a local physician .

For the UK:

Call the Samaritans at 08457 90 90 90. They're an agency that runs 24/7 dedicated to moments like these.
Childline (for children and teens) can be reached at 0800 1111. The number is free and will not show up on your phone bill.

If you are outside the US and the UK, visit www.befrienders.org for hotline information in your country.

YOU MUST KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOVED. If you can't think of anyone who loves you, you're obviously not looking in the right places. Someone loves you and never wants you to be hurt. There are good Samaritans in the world. People do care.

You must have done a good job in hiding this habit, so maybe the reason people seem like they don't care is because they simply don't know. I bet if they knew, their attitude would change instantly. You have to let people know how they can help or they simply can't.