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.
kind of - what had happened just before?
nothing - what were you thinking and feeling?
how stressful my day was and all the things i have to do tomorrow - 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?
not really a final straw, just an opportunity
but the past week or so has been crap - 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.
just so much crap going on, so much on my mind - were there outside factors like drugs, alsohol, being off your meds, lack of sleep, etc? can you address those in the future? how?
ive been really out of it, i have a cold - what other ways of coping did you try besides self-harm? how well did they work?
listening to music, watch tv, nap. I was interrupted by yelling - in retrospect, are there coping methods that you now realize might have helped? what were they?
i cant think of any right now - name at least two things you will do to help yourself remember those coping methods if you end up in this situation again.
--- - 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?
many situations, unresolved, i dont know if i want to resolve them - are you likely to be in that emotional place again? how will you recognize it when you're in that situation?
probably. I will be panicky, have difficulty breathing etc. all the normal panic attack stuff. - 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.
well my mind isnt exactly clear during a panic attack, so i dont know what i can do.
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?
quiet, alone - Did you make an opportunity or was it there for the taking?
i took a bubble bath, but everyone is asleep, so kind of both - What would you have done if there was no opportunity, how would you have handled your urge?
probably fall asleep crying, - If there had been no opportunity would your urge to self-harm have increased or decreased?
probably increase - What consitutes opportunity for you? Being alone? having new tools? waiting for the right feeling?
alone, quiet, thats about all - If your opportunties were taken away, how would you feel?
vulnerable, scared, out of control.
