In the past I have struggled with self harm and self harm addiction. I know how difficult it can be to refrain from taking part in the harmful action but there are safer ways to cope with these urges.
1. Rubber bands. You have probably heard of this technique before. Simply wear a rubber bad around your wrist and every time you feel the need to self harm, slap the band against your wrist.
2. Ice. If you self harm for the sensation and feeling of touch this could help you a lot. Hold an ice cube in your hand as tight as you can and wait for it to melt completely. This not only gives a painful burning sensation on your palm but also stalls and takes up a little more time.
3. Drawing in Red. If you find the colour of blood helps destress and calm you an alternate way to replicate this is to draw on yourself in red marker, paint or food dye. This way you get the look and not the damage.
4. Slime and stress balls. Squishy and soft children toys like stress balls, slime, putty and even just a teddy bear can be great ways to get anger and stress out of your body in a safe manner. The textures can also be a calming distraction.
5. Rocks. This one is a little different but worked really well for me personally. go outside and find some semi-sharp and pointy (still blunt so they don't cut skin) rocks that can fit in the palm of your hand. By squeezing rocks in your hand you not only can't brake them (unlike softer things), but they still hurt and can even leave marks on your palm. You get a safe way to hurt yourself (instead of trying to stop completely).
6. Write down reasons. This is particularly good if you try to carve words into your skin. Write down the reasons that you want to hurt yourself and then rip, bruh, cut or shred the paper to get rid of the words and keep your hands busy.
7. Fidget toys. By using fidget cubes and spinners you can take time up that would normally be used to harm yourself and keep your hands and mind busy and distracted. This may also help if you are very nervous and have bad anxiety.
8. Buy a cactus. Trust me this one works. When you purchase any plant you are then providing yourself with fresh and clean oxygen. You then also have the responsibility of looking after something that is alive (but very low maintenance). Once you have the cactus, whenever you have the need to self harm poke one of the spikes. This instantly hurts, leaves a mark and can even draw some blood, but ultimately keeps you safe and happier.
9. Talk about why. For a lot of people self harm is a confusing concept that doesn't seem to add up. Those closest to you will hate that you are doing this to yourself and try anything to avoid the topic. If you are able to explain why you are doing it to at least one person then you will feel more understood and they can offer support.
10. Be safer with how you look after scars and cuts. If you are still struggling with self harm and can't seem to stop yet, don't worry. Just reading this is a step in the right direction. Remember to always treat your wounds with the best care and seek the nessisary medical attention. And make sure you always have bandaids nearby to decrease infection.
This article is not telling you to stop self harming because that doesn't work at all. These are just techniques that can help you overcome this issue eventually. Recovery doesn't happen over night and you will have relapses, it is okay to slip up sometimes. If you are struggling with self harm please talk to a professional about what you are feeling and make sure to look after yourself.
Hope this helps someone :)
Jen x
Kommentare