what's your anti-si?

[thatonechick]

Contortion
my boyfriend
gymnastics
Coloring

[~invisible_me~]

writing in my LJ
talking to close friends
a hot shower or bath
sleep
drawing
games
going for a walk

[aimee929]

I have only just recently begun to find coping mechanisms to stop myself from SI... it only took me 4 years to find them!! Augh... anyway, I can't say that they always work, but they often do:

--My car is my sanctuary. Sometimes I get in my car, crank the music up really loud (I find Ani DiFranco is my perfect angry music) and either sing at the top of my lungs or scream. It helps get anger out.

--Watch a movie. I LOVE movies... but sometimes it's hard to find the right kind of movie to watch.

--Call a friend. If possible.

--When I want to SI, I usually feel like I have to DO something b/c I am really angry. I have to hit something a lot of the time. I usually hit a pillow or throw something soft across the room.

--My therapist suggested this one-- I bought a package of poster paper/ bulletin board paper like teachers use... you can find it at a craft store...and I got a package of child-size crayons. Like the ones 4-5 year olds use. When I am angryor want to SI, I color on the paper. I have broken most of my crayons or worn them down to nothing and usually it's impossible to make any kind of sense out of the pictures. My therapist has never seen th drawings (they are for me really) but thinks it's good that I almost always use the colors purple, red, and black. Seeing the red crayon pressed really hard on the paper often helps. It gets out energy.

Hope some of these ideas help people.


Aimee

[fillerbunny41702]

Drawing stuff, reading (ironically, rather than triggering me, sometimes reading something with a SI-related theme actually keeps me from doing it), forcing myself to go out with friends (when I'm able), long, random middle-of-the-night car trips into the city, loud, angry music (for some odd reason, happy music amplifies the negative for me), long, random middle-of-the-night car trips into the city while blairing loud, angry music and "singing" (I use this word *very* liberally here, hehe) or screaming along (I shudder to think what this must look like to passing drivers!), sleep, taking a hot shower (or a really cold one in the event that I need to do something really unpleasant to snap myself out of the mindframe), catching up on e-mails, playing mindless vintage atari / nintendo games, consuming mass quantities of junk food, sleep, rollerblading, going for a walk in the woods, attempting to play guitar, or (if nobody's home) my brother's drums.. (it's fun, it's obnoxious, it's loud, and it's physically exhausting after a while.. I like), fingerpainting!, making stuff with modeling clay/compound, sculpey, etc. (I like to do stuff with my hands), skipping class / putting off homework and doing something I enjoy instead (I know this isn't a *good* thing, but the whole school thing is a horrendous trigger for me, and sometimes I need the break.. that place is not worth kicking it over, y'know? (if I keep repeating that, maybe I'll start to buy into it?)..

and, perhaps more than anything else..

Nicholas , Tyson , and Alex . (<---- My cats.)

Definitely my anti-SI. Especially Nick. Ironically, he actually used to have some impulse-control / SI-like issues as a kitten. Trying to understand and help Nick overcome his issues with SI actually brought me a great deal of understanding regarding my own. (T not working? Adopt a crazy cat, hehe. )

[treesleeper]

Wearing my favorite clothes, like fuzzy scarves and sparkly bracelets, and especially my pink shoes. Clothes really have a way of making me feel happy.

Letting glue dry on my skin and picking it off. Weird, yes- but don't knock it till you've tried it! It gives me the same good feeling as skin-picking, and helps me absorb my mind in something besides how shitty I feel.

Fooling around with Tequoia (my guitar), or writing a story.

[Needles]

I hate to be a sheep but really really really (did I mention really) loud music. Holding ice cubes is always good...until your fingers get so cold you have to drop them. Snapping a laccy band is good too. Although people think i'm a member of a strange cult...you can draw on them too, I have a collection of pretty elastic bands!

Drawing, thats always good too! Really horrid pictures usually though.

[ingrid_3882]

SI ha sbecome a nightmare to me.. but sometimes I can stop it.. I said sometimes but I meant seldomely -_-.. anyways here they are:

Play Final Fantasy XI ~~> this game has help me soo much now because I get to kill monsters ^-^ hehe and use magic =P which it sound crazy but all my pain, needs, and frustrations go away while playin =D

Eating ~~> When I really feel sad or down I tend to go for the food.. it helps a bit if I take like health foods because caffeine and too much sugar makes me feel worse

Drawin ~~> At some point when I feel not too bad I can always express myself on drawings.. I draw only horses.. but I draw them with cuts and jumping off cliffs.. thats how I feel but it saves me

Shopping~~> Wow this one really helps me out.. but since I am not working anymore I cant do that...

Well thats about it

[Twitter Mouse]

Currently I'm concentrating on controlling su urges, not SI ones, so my answers to the question may be a little different.

-When I go out I bring my dog. He carries my ID, emergency numbers, and instructions on what to do should I be in an emergency. If something happens, he can get me help.
-I play my bass, go to the movies or ice cream place, anything to keep me busy.
-I write in my journal and listen to music, though often times litening to music makes things worse.

[HiddenByLies]

i think this question is great!

_my anti-drugs are:

~writing poetry/ journal
~playing field hockey
~typing my thoughts/ feelings here on BUS
~listening to music/ singing/ playing my guitar
~either listening to happy/ or sad/ angry music (depending on my mood)

i am almost positive there's more i just can't think of any at the moment...sorry**

~*hiddenbylies*~

[beentheredonethat]

poetry
playing my verious insterments
rocking out with my friends
living life like its suppose to be
chillin with god
talkin to friends or my bro

[_dreamwalkin_]

i've thought about this, but it's pretty easy for me to say what it is. so far, i haven't cut yet but the temptation has definetly been there.

so. the main thing is my best friend, tucker. i reread the e-mails he's sent to me telling me he loves me, doesn't know what he'll do without me, and lately the ones telling me not to hurt myself. i know i'll hurt him if i physically hurt myself, and i couldn't stand to see the look on his face.

another thing that i do - MUSIC. my lifesaver...

um...reading my friends online journal (that i'm not supposed to know about). she was my best friend in 7th grade and now she's cutting and i'm seeing how that's affecting her and her family, and that helps.

that's about it. i like the idea of a art box thing - i love art! the only problem is getting the supplies (cause i can't drive) without my mom wondering why.

[zachansonswife]

Hanson (the band) keeps me from self injuring...

[angelclown]

as of yet, not got an anti-SI specifically apart from this website, but, get this...

Within the next couple of years easy, I want "Bodies Under Seige" in script font tattoo'ed on my right arm (my SI spot). It's a powerful deterrant, seeing as so many people have helped me already so whenever I'd feel the urge, I'd go to my right arm and look at my tattoo and think of Bus, and that would sort of stop me SI-ing

[balletomane]

I don't have a definite anti-SI. Sometimes I tear up magazines, talk to my friend Erin or if I can, do math or physics problems. Some how getting lost in a problem takes my mind off of things for a bit. But mostly I cry, or stare blankly at a wall, trying to fight the urge.

[coldblood]

Getting on this forum helps if you can think of it at the time

Eatting is good too especially if it's easy

TV is wonderful--look at otherpeoples troubles for a change

but the best one of all is to hold and love your pet (hope you have one) they love us no matter what

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE

[Arcadia]

One thing I have discovered REALLY helps is to walk into town by myself with my headphones in playing punk music at a volume i can't have in my room. The positive, self-affirming lyrics and music and just the simple feeling of solitude (i actually prefer to go places by myself sometimes, i NEED alone time) really clears and refreshes my mind.

[Agarwaen]

I find that journal-writing really helps. Lets me rant in words what I can't scream. If it's not too late at night playing music helps too. The melancholy angsty piano pieces by Chopin (which I mangle with my incompetency) comfort me. Or I try working on guitar, which I've only just started to learn. Or I pick up my violin and hide in the bathroom where the sound reverberates and I drown myself in the notes.

Writing on myself helps too. Sometimes I wish I could write all over my entire body but unfortunately I've got PE and people would stare.

[cmccallum0405]

When I'm thinking about si I turn to my finace. He talks me out of it and thinking about my wedding helps. I don't want scars that show in my wedding dress and to know that I finally have someone that accepts the fact that I have turned to si makes me realize that I have a good life and that I don't need to si.

[Thunder_chey]

Minty smelling bath soap or my minty burning sticks. YUM! if im at work then I use the next best thing, brush my teath with minty tasting toothpast

I really like mint. (hence the name peppermint in my handle, lol)

[singo]

Usually I check out but if i feel urgey, but if i'm really urgey i steer clear cuz i get engrossed in triggering posts which i know is bad but i just can't help myself, anyhoo, if i'm really bad i just go to bed, hug the pillow and sob for a while, or hug my stuffed dog.
I used to write in a diary thingo but i'm always angsty and end up tearing up the paper cuz i press so hard out of frustration from trying not to cut.