does the urge ever fade away.

scartissue · Post by **scartissue** » Fri May 21, 2004 12:47 am

I'm new here, and i need all the support i can get.

I've been cutting for 5 years now. I haven't cut for 4 weeks, and these past 4 weeks have been terrible, all i think about is cutting, all i want to do is cut. Does the urge ever leave?

- ursula

Laura · Post by **Laura** » Fri May 21, 2004 12:13 pm

I don't know if it leaves, but it definitely does lessen in time.

I'm now about 10 months free of self-injury, and what I am finding is that although the thought of SI occurs to me pretty much every day, it is now something I can just brush off, rather than having to make huge efforts to resist it.

You could try asking this question on the "Life After" forum, to see what the folks who have managed to stop for a very long time think.

Four weeks is great, well done.

If you're anything like me, the stopping SI will be a process with good times and hard times and setbacks. That's normal - the important thing is that there is overall progress.

You're doing great. Be proud of yourself.

Laura

scartissue · Post by **scartissue** » Fri May 21, 2004 11:31 pm

Wow, hearing how well you've been doing, gives me hope for myself. Thank you so much for your advice, and if you ever want to talk my s/n is physcmytree.

thank you again,
-ursula

Antenna · Post by **Antenna** » Sat May 22, 2004 2:20 am

Wow, congrats on those four weeks (even if they have been rough).

Well, going from personal experience, the SI urges faded for me. I gave it up for about 5 or 6 years, and rarely thought about it during that entire time.

I started again due to some extreme stress, but tonight I'm not at all triggery or urgy or anything.

I feel . . . insanely happy for some reason.

scartissue · Post by **scartissue** » Sat May 22, 2004 3:13 am

wow 6 years is a long time, congrats on being so strong, everyone slips up sometime, but i'm glad to hear your happy, i've been feeling pretty good to lately, guess its the change in meds

-ursula

Seeshellz · Post by **Seeshellz** » Sat May 22, 2004 8:08 pm

Hi, I sometimes go for a couple of months and not even think of it and then wammo I cut like 3 or 4 times in a row. I think it's because I go for a while without a real tough crisis and when they come I cope by cutting.

I used to OD, but now instead of ODing, I cope by SI.

I know it's not better, but different. I'm trying really hard right now when crisises do arise to try some different coping mech. like holding an ice cube in my hand. My counsellor told me about this and also I've heard about it on this site, and it has worked for some.

So I guess everybody is different with different experiences, but I sometimes think about it, but usually my thoughts about it are very intense when I have a crisis or I'm unusually stressed about something.

I hoped I helped.

Love, Shelley

scartissue · Post by **scartissue** » Sun May 23, 2004 5:45 pm

hm alright, i'll have to try it

-ursula

Minigoth1 · Post by **Minigoth1** » Mon May 24, 2004 10:08 pm

Art. Learn to draw, it can help so much. draw what you want to do.

Write. write about how you feel. it makes you feel better.

Music. Write music, listen to music.

scartissue · Post by **scartissue** » Tue May 25, 2004 12:31 am

yeah i usually do draw or write, and that's the best i got right now. Thanks for your advice <3

-ursula

lost down here · Post by **lost down here** » Mon May 31, 2004 11:16 pm

yes the urge does die down if you give it time and if you dont give into it - or at least thats what ive found with me and my depression/cutting. try to find ways to distract yourself - that will always make hte urges less intense. you're probably just in the withdrawal phase of it, and it'll decrease in intensity with time, dont wrory...we're all here for you, PM me if you need anything at all

lazisma · Post by **lazisma** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:49 am

I speak from personal experience, like many here. It can go, the feeling of having to slice, burn, whatever your "outlet" may be. But it returns occassionally. Like it just did to me. It returned with a vengence, picking up where I left it seven years ago.

I told a therapist friend that it seems like what an alchoholic says. . .that once you go back you start where you left off. At least that's how it feels for me.

Maybe I'm wrong here, but it's just my input.

FreedumMyWay · Post by **FreedumMyWay** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 6:33 pm

I havent been here for a long time so I do not know if my imput will count for anything or not. But here it goes.

For me, the urges go away, its not a need anymore. Until something really bad happens. But I dont feel the need for it when something small happens like I used to. Neither do I crave it for no reason. But when the big things happen, Im in trouble.

This is from someone who hasnt for 23 days. I went 4 months but fell. We all fall sometimes. But the best thing after you fall is to get back up and try again.

Listener · Post by **Listener** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 2:00 pm

Yes the urge does go away sometimes. I can think of a few of my friends who used to cut but now haven't in years.

littlered · Post by **littlered** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 11:56 pm

I'm new here so I don't know if my opinion will have as much weight to it as the others. However I found that the first few steps away from SI were the toughest then after a while the urge/need faded but the thoughts still flitted into my mind not in a bad way but perhaps with a sense of loss. I know that sounds weird but I don't know how else to put it.

Jude · Post by **Jude** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 9:44 pm

Yes. It does

atleast it can.

But if you're not ready to stop then you cant make that happen, trying too hard when you still feel bad and still feel like you need to can make things worse.

J

bus

does the urge ever fade away.

does the urge ever fade away.

Yes the feeling, the desire can abate

my imput

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