Questions to Answer After A Slip
slips are chances to learn. you figure out what stresses are still too hard for you and you can work on how you'll deal with them next time you run into them. so instead of beating yourself up, take action.
- have you taken care of your physical wounds? if not, go do that now. we'll wait.
I have nothing that needs taking care of - what had happened just before?
Nothing, just low, SU feelings. Had a bad night, cut a lot then, I guess something spilled into today. I am doing the after just for today because I feel that I need to work out why I cut. - what were you thinking and feeling?
I was thinking about SA from my past, and it got to me. I felt low, SU, unhappy, worthless, unsure. - why did you end up hurting yourself then instead of some other time? was there an event that was the final straw? what was it?
Because I could I guess. Because I chose to, or didn't choose, I'm not sure - how did the situation get to the final straw stage? trace it back through the events that led up to the last event. look for some point at which you could have made a different decision and not arrived at the final straw.
I had a hard T session yesterday, and a hard night. I had been having flashbacks today. I should have phoned the Outreach team, the people who look after my care, and told them. - were there outside factors like drugs, alcohol, being off your meds, lack of sleep, etc? can you address those in the future? how?
Stress, not enough sleep. I got taken off sleeping meds before leaving IP care, and that was hard, I think I still need them. - what other ways of coping did you try besides self-harm? how well did they work?
I had been using Bus, Chat, MSN, but nothing really had an effect. - in retrospect, are there coping methods that you now realize might have helped? what were they?
I should have called Outreach, not SH'd - name at least two things you will do to help yourself remember those coping methods if you end up in this situation again.
Speak to the T that I last met with
Try and ask for help on Bus if necessary. - how do you feel about the situation that led to self-harm now? is it resolved? if not, what are some steps you might take toward resolution?
I had to SH, and I did, I still feel like I need to.
- are you likely to be in that emotional place again? how will you recognize it when you're in that situation?
I still am. Next time I will try and discuss coping strategies with my T before she leaves.
- what will you try before you resort to self-harm if you're in that situation again? list three specific things you will commit to trying.
Ask for help on Bus
Stay away from all my old writing - triggering
About Opportunities to SI
Opportunity to Self-Harm seems to be a common theme. Think about why opportunities are important to slips and learn why opportunity is important to you.
- What made that opportunity more appealing than any other?
Needing to cut. - Did you make an opportunity or was it there for the taking?
There was one there I guess. Moved into my bedroom, but that's all. - What would you have done if there was no opportunity, how would you have handled your urge?
I would have either made one, or freaked out - screamed, hit things etc - If there had been no opportunity would your urge to self-harm have increased or decreased?
Increased a lot, until I cut - What consitutes opportunity for you? Being alone? having new tools? waiting for the right feeling?
Feeling like I have to cut, having the right tools, being alone. - If your opportunties were taken away, how would you feel?
They have been. I just became more deceptive, and when I couldn't even do that (2:1 Observation) I self-destructed openly.
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