Before You Self-Harm
write down the shadow that's hiding behind the urge. look at it. ask yourself:
- how will this situation or feeling change if i hurt myself?
i will feel better for a little while - what will hurting myself bring to the situation? what will it take away from the situation?
it will bring temporary comfort, but in the end, just more cravings and feelings of no self-worth - how do i want to feel about this in the long run? is hurting myself likely to get me closer to or farther from feeling that way?
i want to keep my self-respect. it'll push me away from that. - if hurting myself seems like my best option right now, how long will the relief it brings last? what will i do then?
it will last maybe through this class, then when i go to work i'll have to do it again - what is something i could do now instead of hurting myself? how will it change the situation i'm in? how long will that change last, and what will i do then?
i can write about how i'm feeling, it will make me feel better longer - how will i feel tomorrow if i hurt myself? how will i feel tomorrow if i do the other thing i came up with?
i will feel stuck and falling again. i'll feel good if i write. - what do i really want to do right now? how can i best honor the self-protective instinct that has me wanting to self-injure right now?
i really want something familiar. i don't know how i can honor that.
