Cutting Advise; How do I hide it?

[Lorian]

i started cutting on March 10. its getting really hard to hide my arm from my parents and sister. i dont want anyone to know what i do. does anyone have any tips on how to keep my arm hidden? wearing long sleeves is hard cause its really warm in my house. can anyone help me out?


feel free to email me also. id love to talk to someone about it.

my email: Kevinthegnome007@aol.com

thnx,
lor

[Wandering]

Hey, welcome to the board. I'm sure you'll be made to feel at home, and I hope you find it a safe place to be.

If you cut on your forearm, I know some people wear bracelets, which hide it slightly. You can also get makeup to cover over scars. However, hiding scars and cuts isn't easy, and whilst I know full well that stopping isn't an easy thing to do, it is easier when you haven't been doing it too long, so I'd ask you to seriously think about what it'll mean for the future, when you want to wear short sleeves, and to do your best to stop now.

However, if you're not up for trying to quit, please don't think you're not welcome, we will still all support you feel free to pm me!

Take care

Andi

[Licentia Poetica]

Welcome to BUS

The first thing I'm going to suggest is to stop cutting. Because, ultimately that is going to be the best long-term choice for you, and the longer you keep doing it, the harder it will be to stop.

But I know as well as anybody here that it's difficult and not everyone can be ready to give it up anytime, because it's necessary to put new coping methods in your life before you can give this one up.

If you can't wear long sleeves, then bracelets, arm warmers or wristbands can substitute. Ultimately it's going to be difficult to hide, especially in warm weather. And if the extent to which you hurt yourself gets worse, it's probable that people are going to notice.

There is the option of not cutting your forearms, but in no way am I encouraging you, because often hurting yourself in other places can make things a lot worse.

My advice to you (speaking from someone who has been cutting for a long time) is to minimise your SI as much as possible, so that it won't scar badly and treat your cuts properly. Use BUS to talk about what's going on, and look at finding people in your life to talk to and lean on.

I'd just like to say here that I find it really sad when I read about people who have just begun to hurt themselves, and feel a little helpless when I see that they don't feel like they can stop. Becase I've been there and I know that it gets a lot worse. When I was at the stage you are in, I thought I could hide it from everyone forever, and I thought it wasn't much of a big deal and I could stop anytime. Was I ever wrong.

I'm here if you would like any help or advice. I'd be very glad and enlightened to see you reconsider what SI will help you achieve. Because it really doesn't help you in the long run, it only creates more problems.

[ComfortablyNumb]

I'm another who would urge to think about stopping now. It only gets harder to hide, and harder to deal with. The questions you may get only get harder to anwser. But if you really aren't up for stopping than I agree with what was said before. Take very good care of your cuts, utilize BUS to the fullest. Bracelets are a good cover-up, and so is make-up as long as everything is fully healed before you try to put make-up on it. I hope you think about everything that was already said. And I'm glad you made it to BUS so early. I hadn't found BUS until I was like a year and a half into this.

Feel free to PM me or e-mail me whenver my e-mail is down below I do think.

[Lorian]

thank u all for the advice. im going to seriously think about everything u all said. also, im so glad that there is a web board like this one. im so glad that i found it early.

lor

[Invisible_tears]

Welcome to BUS! I'm a newbie too, but I've already found it to be so useful and reassuring - I hope you do too.
When I started cutting I cut on my forearms - but I quickly realised people noticed and questioned me about it as I tend to wear 3/4 length sleeves, so now I tend to only cut my upper arms and upper legs. It does really limit you to not wearing short sleeves, but I think if you SI your arms that's one of the things you have to accept. Certainly personally, long sleeves are my main line of defense. Luckily my house is usually freezing cold
*ugs* Good luck with everything.

[narcoleptic]

yea, stopping early is very good. Sometimes I get permanet markers and write what I'm feeling all over myself. that might help a little until you figure out what to do about your arms. *hugs* I hope whatever you do it ends okay.

[_MessedUp_]

i've been SI'ing for about 5 years now, and if i had the chance to turn back the clock and stop then i would. But i know it isn't that easy or simple, if you wnat to stop BUS is full of people and posts that can help you through. i wear a wristband on my right wrist which covers some scars, but i always used to wear long sleeves (or 3/4) length or just stopped doing it on my arm.

[Beasty]

One thing I used to do what drape a jacket over my left arm (my cutting arm) when I walked around. That or wear a really light long sleeved shirt under a Tshirt. I suppose you will have to suffer through a lot of it.

Try getting some scar cream to lighten them and begin to cut elsewhere if you have to.

[Mindpoison]

I wear my bathrobe around the house a lot or just drape a hoody over my arm. Also, I got a bunch of long-sleeve lightweight men's pajama tops that I wear.

[Not_what]

try using vitamin e cream, i got some with just vitamin e in it, and i have to say i have noticed sliight results, nothing dramatic but definately some progress.
am very sorry to hear youre self harming, hope youre ok

if you ever want to chat, feel free to PM me

sarah