is THIS si? *SI trigs

[Laika]

*don't read if you're feeling triggery...its really not bad but i don't want to make anyone feel worse!

hi...just like the "rubber band" post the other day, i have a question about whether or not this behaviour is classified as SI. as far as i know, SI is any intentional pain you bring upon yourself, especially if the marks/scars/etc last for more than one hour, indicating tissue damage....
anyways...whenever i feel like i want to cry, i automatically bite the inside of my lip/cheek until it bleeds and dig my fingernails into my arms or hands....the marks last at least a day. i don't even think about it, i just do it, as a way to keep myself from crying in front of other people. i've been doing this for a long time now - i suspect i'm not the only one on this board who does stuff like this - but is it SI???

any insight would be appreciated! let me know what you think
thanks!

[jaded melody]

I think its a form of SI yes in that you're using it as a coping mechanism and to try to deal with your feelings. I used do things like that sometimes, i would dig my fingernails into my skin or pinch my skin or something like that.

Do YOU think it counts as SI?
If you classify it as SI, how do you feel about that?
Does calling it SI change anything?

[Licentia Poetica]

Technically you are hurting yourself, yes. Whether or not you classify it as part of your self-destructive behaviour is really up to you and how yowu feel about it.

I know a lot of people who bite their nails until they bleed, who have never cut themselves and don't consider it SI in any way. It's simply an anxious behaviour.

If you take it technically everything is SI, smoking, drinking, biting your nails, biting your lip, etc.

It depends on the feelings you have whilst you're doing it.

[Wandering]

Yeah I do that too.

For me, it depends on the context. If its something that I'm not thinking about doing, just to stop myself crying, then I wouldn't personally class it as SI. However, sometimes I deliberately pinch my arm or something to cope with a situation without showing my emotions, through causing myself pain. That I do class as SI and I try not to do it.

I think its down to your thoughts on it though

Andrea x

[TainTeD Xx gRAcE]

i think anything behavior that you have to ask whether it is si or not, is si. if there is any doubt that its not, it probably is all the same.

[kate_]

i think it's si...i do this sometimes. last week i got home from therapy and realized the inside of my cheek was raw cause i'd been chewing on it, i didn't even realize it...and there's been times when i've been triggery, but in a social situation, and i've dug my fingernails into my palms..or my thumbnail repeatedly into my fingertip..