Is there really an alternative?

[WhereIsTheLove]

What is a really good alternative to self-injury? I know people say rubber bands, ice, drawing on yourself with marker, etc. But I find SI to be a unique pain that I can't replicate with those things, so they aren't effective. Plus, I SI for too many reasons to name so those things don't work that well for those other things. It is like being hungry for carbs but having to eat a plate of lettuce. It doesn't work.

I really want to stop SI, but am having such a difficult time with it. I feel like it would be easier if I could replace it with something (healthy) that really will work. What do you think?

[strmdncr]

Perhaps if there are as you say too many to list as to why you si then it's not so much a matter of finding an alternative to si'ing as it is learning how to cope with the things that are driving the urges to si?

[guest23]

I second stormdancer.

Using your example. You want carbs but you can only have lettuce. Either way you are satasfying the main issue - you're hungry. So you want to si but you can only jog/knit/doodle/clean.... but in the end you are solving the issue of _______________.

Fill in the blank and things should start to fall into place.

[Annybelly]

Thats a areally good way of putting it.
I want carbs, I get lettuce, but at the end of the day, at least I'm not hungry.
As long as I accept and eat the lettuce that is.