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One of my favourite things to d when I feel down is to hide under my duvet and cuddle my teddy bear. Its good to have something that comforts you - obiously you can't carry a teddy bear or blanket around in a supermarket, but it certainly works at home.

I used that as a coping mechanism at one stage but it found it not very helpful. I think it is a coping mechanism, but it can be abused and it is worth looking at other coping mechanisms first or in addition to that.

Soft things are great - and its good you noticed about the tactile sense. I found I could calm myself down by feeling things sometimes - even if it was just a blade of grass or a leaf. What also sometimes helps is to feel things that are so entirely different - hard and cold (a wet mirror, or a cold...

There are a lot of ways of covering scars. I'm going to list a few here - I haven't checked the links so I may just repeat a whole lot. 1. cover with clothes (this is the most obvious and most used method) 2. wrists and arms or ankles - wear bracelets 3. use vit E cream 4. sometimes base can be used...

I wrote on this post nearly 3 years ago now. Now I am over a year SI free and wondering if my top ten distractions have changed. Here are mine now: 1. writing in my journal (esp when angry) 2. buying something nice for myself 3. making myself busy in my job 4. reading a book (novels usually) 5. doin...

Firstly I just want to say well done for writing all that - its shows you do know how to think rationally and also more positively. Marks are not the end of the world - the only way you can't get a worse one is if you got 0% so you are sure to get both better and worse marks with time - that is if y...

Hi, its been a while since you posted this - did you manage to get hold of someone? Please spend time with people when you feel like this. Don't isolate yourself. You need to think of something else, do something else and talk about other things as well. It is hard to get those thoughts out of your ...

Hang in there. It is hard to stop SI at first, but it gets better with practice. You have already figured a few things out - you SI at night usually and when you are lonely. Could you perhaps change your evening routine somehow - spend time with your siblings when you feel like you might want to cut...

It didn't work too well for me. I got the initial reaction of not wanting to do that, but later when I thought about it, I wanted to copy what I'd seen and some of it I did copy.

Different things work for differnet people though. Please be careful though.

Tamrick

That's great you could do that. I seem to cry a lot less lately - I'm much happier, but there was a time when I needed someone to talk to and cry to and it really helped.

For me self soothing is not only about memories and what I think. It is relaxing to think of a happy place and then imagine yourself in it and what you are doing. I did this for a while and my place changed over time til it was just a fantasy place where I could do whatever I want. Other options for...

Welcome to the board :moo: I'm sorry you are having a hard time right now. It sounds like you need to have a good chat with your boyfriend though, not only about the SI, but about where the two of you stand with each other. It is natural that when things go wrong we want to fix them. When we know SI...

Having a long list of things to do does help (and the list at the top of coping is super), but like Laura said it is also important to figure out what triggers you to SI and how you can deal with those feelings.

Welcome to the boards Hope you can get the help you need.

Tamrick

I wear short sleeves but have still not been able to go back to shorts even in the hottest weather. I have a few noticeable scars on my arms, but no one asks about them and I see many people in my job who should notice them. I don't think it has to do with fairness though. I think each person is an ...

How can I make myself want to stop? I feel like I should, but I'm not entirely sure why. I think you need to figure out firstly why you are SIing and after that what the pros and cons of it are. You have mentioned a few already: the people around me are telling it's bad It sounds like this frustrat...

This is a fantastic thread.

I know I'm getting better cause I can live a normal life now without thinking of SI every day, I sleep better and I feel good aboput myself most of the time (don't put myself down so much)

Name: Tamrick Are you currently trying to stop or reduce SI: yes If so what is your motivation: SI is unhealthy, my boyfriend keeps me motivated, my scars are disappearing and I am living a much more normal life without SI and I am happier Favorite coping skills: trying new things (writing novels, p...

It sounds like you have a lot going on and that you are battling to keep your head above water. Maybe it is time to give yourself a bit of a break - what kinds of things do you do for yourself?

And then perhaps you should phone Bill when you feel a little more calm.
Take care.

Tamrick

Today I do not want to SI. I made it through the urge. I am actually too tired to do anything much and have no energy. I am taking anti depressants again in the original dose and hope they will improve things slowly. I have also started taking a multi vitamin. Realistically I expect the next week to...

For me I shake when I am really anxious. I also used to shake before SIing, but that was because the tension was building and SI was the release. If you are shaking, why not go for a walk or do something really active where you must use your muscles - don't do fine motor things though - just run or ...