How can i stop cutting?

Question

about a year ago i had a bad break up and i cut myself about 6 times... now that we are apart for good. (which is a good thing), idk i just get random feelings that i want to cut myself and until i do it i get stressed.... and i would just go right with it... like idc if i cut myself, the pain doesn't bother me. its just i dint like people knowing that i do so i cant hide it very well. if i could then i would. but i cant and all people tell me is that its bad and I'm hurting myself but idc. i just want to know how i can stop. advice to stop cutting myself ?

Answer 1

I got rid of whatever it was at the time that was making me so unhappy, and I stopped.

Haven't done it since.

Unfortunately, the scars stay.

Answer 2

when you start to get the feeling to cut just start doing something like hang out with friends or involve yourself with a volunteer program it should take your mind off of it.

Answer 3

When I used to cut, it was because I was in pain and did not know how to deal with it.  If that applies to you, you have to try alternatives.  Counseling.  Writing about your feelings.  Talking to a friend.  

Answer 4

my emo senses are tingling

Answer 5

think about ur skin, love it.

Answer 6

Before you cut, go outside. Out of your room, your house. Go outside. Take a deep breath. Now think about all the people you are hurting by hurting yourself. Call one of your friends that you care about and talk to them about how you feel.

Answer 7

Mature and realize that you have a whole life ahead of a small  relationship, it is not worth hanging on too.

I cut myself once when I was 16 but I was like "ow that hurt" and I stopped. Try something more constructive like exercising.

Answer 8

find something to keep u busy everytime u get the urge to do it do something else..go watch tv...get a snack..etc

Answer 9

YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE!!   Please get counseling.  Cutting can be a predecessor to suicide, and talking to someone can help sort out those feelings.  Whether a counselor, clergy, or someone, please talk to them so you can find the underlying cause.  I will be praying for you.

Answer 10

Cutting yourself is the outlet you have chosen for your way to vent stress and emotions that you chose not to deal with.  Ask yourself what do you gain from the cutting?  

Now take a sheet of paper and a pen.  Write down everything that comes to mind of what can be done to relieve the pent up stress and emotions.  Don'tt stop writing, if it pops in your head put it on the page.  Take your list and "clinically" go over it and mark off all of the destructive ones listed.  (By clinically I mean to put all emotion aside and just use logic; good keep, bad discard.  If borderline discard)

Get another sheet of paper and put all the beneficiall ideas on it.  Go over the new list and decide if the idea is one you can do, are comfortable with, and will bring the desired result.  Keep these and post them where you will see them when you are feeling like cutting yourself to remind you what your other options are.  Make sure you make a list that is portable so you can keep it with you at all times just in case.

Most importantly give a copy to a friend that you can call 24X7.

Here are a few ideas to start you off that work for me:  

My friend and I have an understanding.  If either of us needs to vent we will call and say, "I need to vent."  Then it is understood that anything said is not said to the listener and not taken personally.

We will also go out to the gun range and blast the heck out of apples and oranges, then we end up putting smaller and smaller targets out to test each others aim.  I find that a little constructive destruction is an excellent outlet.  DO NOT replace the person you are angry at with the targets, this does not help and only serves to worsen the the state you are in.  

The point is to channel the the stress and emotion out of your mind and body so that cutting, or other personally destructive methods are unneccesary.

I hope this helps.  If you would like to contact me, please feel free to do so at [e-mail]

Answer 11

This is a real medical condition, and the bottom line is you need to see a Dr ASAP.

Answer 12

See a therapst (sp?) and if you have a Holy Bible, read it. God will comfort you. (=

~ Hatori

God bless

Answer 13

See a therapist.

Answer 14

therapist

Answer 15

its not hard to say no   jst dont ****** do it      wat would ur friends/parents think??

Answer 16

i was going through a similar situation last year... i got majorly depressed and i felt like i had no one who cared about me... one day i just ran out of school and i just spilled everything out to my parents about how i was cutting myself... you def tell your parents how you feel, even though it sounds bad( at the time when i went through it, i didnt want to tell them) but it helps, i mean just getting your feeling ou there so there not bottled up just getting ready to explode and that explosion can cause major harm..or if you really dont fell like you can do that now them, just try scrathcing yourself really hard or putting a rubberband on your wrist so when you feel angry you can snap the rubberband and not cut... but really talk to someone... it helps

Answer 17

ok im a guy fyi and im on my sisters thing but ya ive helped like 5 people stop that stuff and i totally understand why you do it...five minutes of nothing and taking the pain away...ya i cant say it all right now but if you really want to stop u can e-mail me i guess? [e-mail] just if u want to talk i can help but i cant make u stop...u help urself stop

Answer 18

Okay

since i went through that, i want to help you.

i started cutting because of my boyfriend. And what I went through at school.

I'm stopping to do it now, but sometimes i have the urges to hurt myself. Like suicide is always a main thought of mine.

Only way to stop doing it, is if YOU want to stop.

I know it may not be good advice, but the only way to make something possible is to believe that you can stop.

Nothing a therapist can do but help you out for a little while.

But what if those urges come back? Then how will the therapist help out? So what I'm saying is, until you feel YOU are ready, then you will be able to stop. That's how I did.

I'm gonna tell you some things I should've listened to.

Life is only as easy as you make it.

Don't take life so seriously.

And my own personal favorite, Seize the day!

Because you never know when you're going to not wake up another morning, and what keeps me going and happy is to think about how i spend my time here on earth.

Do you really want those scars forever? You may not care, but that's gonna  suck in the future when you have children and they ask about what you did to your arm.

Spend your time here happily, and embrace your future :]

And that's all I can tell you.

:)

Answer 19

Go too rehab they always help!:)

Answer 20

My daughter had this problem and saw a psychologist who taught her ways to cope with stress without cutting and she has overcome the problem.  You won't learn how to do this in Yahoo Answers though.  You need a few sessions with a counselor who specializes in this.  You won't regret it.

Answer 21

i agree with Lisa

Answer 22

Allot of people cut them selfs as a way to release stress. Kind of like exposing your pain superficially(on the outside of your body). But actually they are preforming a self destructive act that can lead to many health risks.

If you want to stop cutting maybe look for an alternative method to releasing stress. Exercise, read, ect. If you are having difficulties quiting on your own there are various options that you have. You could try counseling, or going to your doctor.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have an urge to cut yourself try calling a help line. You can search what is available in your area online, or look in the phone book.

good luck.

Answer 23

I used to cut myself, so hopefully my answer will help you.

I told my mom that I cut myself and I was very clearly depressed and not myself, she was obviously worried and concerned, so she took me to children's hospital (I was 15 at the time) for an evaluation.

While at the hospital, the dr. checked my cuts and even though I showed him all of them, he had to check my whole body for other injuries. (Hospital policy)

I also met with a social worker and a psychiatrist, they asked me what I used to cut myself, why I did it, did I want to end my life, etc... And lot's of questions like that. They also met with my mom and asked her questions.

Since I had panic and anxiety in addition to being depressed and cutting myself, the social worker suggested a program for me. It was at a "Mental Hospital" but was a day program. I would go and was with a group of other teens with similar issues... we had group therapy and individual therapy. Through those sessions I learned coping skills and ways to distract myself when I felt the need to cut.

I was in the day program for about a month, and learned strategies that literally saved my life. I'm now 20 and I haven't cut since I left the program. (I've had the urge to, but have fought it using what I had learned.)

Sooo....if you're under 18 I would suggest letting your parents know and asking them to bring you to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. If you're older than 18, I would suggest bringing yourself to the hospital and talking with the staff to see if they can help you find a program or therapist who can help you fight the urge to cut.

Here are some websites that maybe will help you out:

http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/fself...

http://self-injury.net/stopping/

I wish you the best of luck!

p.s...Love Love Kiss Kiss mentioned scratching yourself instead of cutting...don't do that. I scartched myself many times and have horrible scars from them.

Answer 24

Throw away all your Cutting Utensils and then.... get help..