Self-harm support thread v. 3

Hello,
I hope your doing as well as can be <3

Just finished reading this thread (version 3 oh my) ... and I've got to say that it was The most difficult thing I've done in a long while ... but I was determined to get through it ... even went without a drink or a smoke on purpose just to make me see it without any crutch.

If I could still cry I would be all out of tears by now ... primarily for the compassion shown here (Especially n3o , can't be easy to give what you do) ...
Much respect to you all.

Wow , my chest is all a flutter ... throat keeps gagging ... mind is a million minds a minute etc.
This whole thread could be considered a trigger (I think there was a warning) ... Please let me vent a little and If it's too much teach me what a NSFW is plz :)
...
I can't remember the first time I cut myself ... I do remember when I first really did it for release tho ... The year 1999 Is when I remember really cutting ...
Statistically I think I was probably older than most to start this , also I'm a male.
To be honest I'd never heard or known that people did this except for maybe a suicide attempt. I'd never heard of cutting until long after I'd started.
I think the initial phase came from severe depression and lack of drugs to numb the pain ... I meant to go easy and actually carve something "artistic" ... the slight pain and blood loss felt like a release.

Please don't read on if the 1st part was too much ... trying to keep it within reach tho ...

So , after a few days I had 1 person that wanted to know what had happened , insisted even ... from the look of slight horror and worry i realized that the recommendation to go and get stitches was probably best
(This is as hard for me to type as it is for one to listen ofc) ...
The doctor who stitched me up (not home town) asked what happened ... I think I just said I was a bit down and needed to feel something else ... No worries , on my way. Well , that was pretty much that and I didn't cut much after ... the scars on my arm were a worry and took ages to heal and I've barely worn a T-shirt around anyone since then. There's a hell of alot more to that story that relates to the issue but I'll try and stay strictly on this topic ...

I didn't cut much after , and when I did It was more of a fleeting episode than a habit most of the time ... However , the scars got more numerous ... thoughts of "It doesn't matter" because "It's already ruined" go thru the mind in order to be able to justify another cut ... and so it went but tapered down as the years went by until it had to be a very stressful/traumatic reason for it to eventuate.

(Trigger , don't read!?)
2 main reasons that finally got to me ... to help me dedicate my mind to Stop!
1st one was ... [edited]

2nd thing ... and more important I think ... was getting to know new people where I started renting ... happened to forget my long-sleeve and be there in a shirt (was worried at first but then forgot I even had scars).
One of the parents ... her young son came up to me and asked "What's that on your arm?" ... ahem .. um , just a few scars ... "What are they from?" I swear I almost had a heart attack as the rest of the group was watching ...
Best I could come up with was "Oh , a crazy cat scratched me up" , sheesh , how ironic. I've rarely felt such shame even though nobody there thought badly of me. They wouldn't have to , I felt bad enough.
It was seriously a defining moment in my life I just couldn't escape ... and all because of the innocent curiosity of a young child.

That was a number of years ago now ... I've harmed myself in many ways since ... including a few cuts here and there but I really would feel so bad and ashamed , and the whole gamut of emotions about the scars ... they took so long to heal as I got older and were so damn obvious if the sleeve slipped up.
I mean , what the hell do you tell people? ... I have to hide it as I can't bear the pain of trying to lie to all the questions.

About 2 years ago I got upset by something and proceeded to make yet another mark (after not doing so for a long while , doh) with blunt scissors of all things and the scar has only just lost it's pink. I also stabbed my chest with them at that time but hit my rib-bone and no damage but a dint and a hefty bruise. ... Of course I felt even worse after all that ... especially coz someone rang my sister and she came round to find me passed out ... but oh man oh man , I still feel so bad she had to see that and although her Bf is cool he lost alot of respect for me , and so he should as my sister cried and shouldn't have had to see that. (geez , almost shed a tear , it's been a while)
But that was about the last of it (fingers crossed) ... the urge creeps up so often that it is beyond reason. I don't want to do it , I shouldn't need to do it ... so what is it that still makes me feel this way? ...

Forgive me , I just needed to get some of that off my chest and there is no other outlet to do so. I've had a hard week and it's just coincidence that I'm now reading these topics ... if only I had the support 5 days ago , 5 months ago , 5 years ago ... maybe , just maybe things could have been different.

So , there's just a tiny bit of my cutting story ... I'm very sorry if I've made anyone feel worse. It's going to be a hardcore journey to read the archives on this subject but no doubt I will. Wish me luck ... as I do you %)
From memory It's been just over a year since I've done anything like this ... from all accounts I should be better off now than I have been for years but It's so damn easy to just break-down sometimes and I don't mean in a funky beat motion kinda way :)

Hopefully somewhere in my big mess of a rant I've been honest enough that another other may be able to relate to my experiences (and everyone elses) and in some way feel just a tiny bit of comfort knowing that there are others who understand and won't judge. I really farkin' need help myself recently but anyone can feel free to contact me about this issue ... I may not be able to solve the riddles but maybe , just maybe I can help someone to see the brighter side of life (Whistles the Monty Python Tune lol) ;)

O.k. that's way too long a post but I hope ya dig where I'm comin' from ... Plz modify as necessary but I hope I've conducted myself as reasonably as possible given the topic. Thankyou.
Cheers all ... and plz stay safe <3

|_.
 
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I meant to go easy and actually carve something "artistic"

That is exactly how I started out as well. But it very quickly escalated in to much more.

"What are they from?" I swear I almost had a heart attack as the rest of the group was watching ...
Best I could come up with was "Oh , a crazy cat scratched me up"

Ya know, I have been in the exact same situation! And I blamed some of my scars on animal scratches as well. LAME! Although I was a vet nurse for many years so it was perhaps a bit more plausible.

Forgive me , I just needed to get some of that off my chest and there is no other outlet to do so.

Thank you so much for sharing your story Umbo, I really hope you feel better afterwards. I sincerely hope this thread hasn't been triggering to you. If you find any of the other archived threads triggering, please stop reading them and do something to take your mind off cutting. The purpose of these threads is for support and the get us to cease this behaviour, but some of the content can definitely be triggering so just be aware of that okay? And please, if you EVER feel like cutting yourself, PM me and we can talk, okay??
Take care <3

Oh, and yes I will definitely have to edit some of your post as it is indeed triggering, but I hope it was of benefit to you to get it out "on paper" so to speak <3
 
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Indeed it needed to be writ ... beneficial? ... yes I think so.
Thankyou for being cool about it ... I wasn't sure if I'd written quite carefully enough ... I think I did well with it (as It's such an uneasy topic sometimes) ... I held back alot , believe it or not :) ... I am just a very honest styled person.

You didn't butcher it and again I thank you for that ... I would have liked to see those red [edited] bits on the other 2 or 3 parts too ...
But like any ambitious writer ... no matter how expected it may be ... It's dissapointing to have such expressions [self-edited-again] ...> exempted from the source. :\ ... yet how could I cast blame at anything or anyone.

There are way worse things said around here than what I've said ... but maybe because of the sheer brutality of statement it is not taken so seriously as words more carefully arranged :) (Or maybe being a greenlighter I just need to be put in my place for now , quite understandable.)

Don't think that that is the nicest possible "digg" at you that anyone could muster b'coz it's not like that at all ... I know you'll understand that I am just trying to express myself as best I can with what I know ... I'd never try and push the boundaries in a situation where it is not fit to do so ... but then , the mind is not something to under-estimate ... It can play some tricky games even whilst it's host unaware (lol , too sci-fi?) ... sheesh. :facepalm:

I can't read any of that to check it but yeh , basically I'm just saying thankyou for allowing me to put forth my views and with such a welcoming attitude ... don worry , I will get better as I make it. Just wanted to share my story ofc.

Btw , No ... yes , um It wasn't really a trigger for me after I got thru it ... Was hard , very damn hard and I'm not yet at the stage you guyz are where you can counsel others so well ... No pedestal , no smoke blowing up non-smoking zones ... I admire such strong and intelligent people <3
I was hoping I did well enough to at least not be reprimanded harshly.
(The very word is a trigger ;))

Well , I'm sure I've made enough of an arse of myself for now so I'll take my leave ... sigh ...

And here's what happened after my PC crashed ... I finally picked up the phone to call my doctor (It's been at least 2 years) ... and I forgot it was Saturday ... They close at 12 midday and It was 3 past the hour 8)
It could well have been that many years again until I bothered excepting that I've nowadays met 1 or 2 people online and off that I like and appreciate , and who appreciate me (I think) ... I don't want to be a slobbering mess of a person if I can ever avoid it , good people help to make good and I think I am striving , stressing and continuing just to be able to help another ... I don't know what else points there could be to work towards.

Well , guessin' I'm way off topic ... thanks for hearing me out.
Yours annebriatedly,

|_.

[edit or delete at will] :)
 
Geez , I'm a fcuken idiot ...
Couldn't even criticize myself without getting edited (Editing myself) ...
If I can't be honest then what's the point.
So tempting but I refuse to on this sitting ....

Fuck FUcking Fail! ...

Arrggh , fuckit ... No worries ... um , I'm just tired :|

Cya when I'm back sober maybe.

Thanks for not pointing out my problems.
(music really can change Psych)
Gotta go SHine.
Would you fucking well believe it ...

Excuse my language ... it's No Walk in the Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaark
Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!

Please delete this feeling.
 
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^^ Hey man, it's okay, you are not an idiot at all. Have a rest and come back when you're feeling a bit more clear-headed. Sleep tight dude, take care <3
 
I don't think I've ever been as tempted as I am now. My relationship of 17 months is ending and it's actually the hardest thing I've ever done. I mean, I know it's not long really, but it was the world for me for so long. And what's making it worse is it's actually my choice, it's the right thing for me to be doing but it's so hard. I've spent all of tonight crying which is really pathetic for me and I'm trying my hardest not to cut but I have no other way of coping with this and I just don't know what to do.

It's just going to get worse for the rest of the week and I have nothing to do that can distract me. I'm seeing a friend maybe once or twice so that'll help then, but I don't work so I've really got nothing that can keep my mind off it. I've cancelled an acid trip I had planned later this week as I know I'm not going to be in the right state of mind for it. Every time I even think of it all I can think about is cutting and yeah. Hopefully this rambling made sense.
 
*TRIGGER*

I am picturing hardcore right now...me...damaging my insides..in a sort of twisted way, cause it speeds normal people up but chills me the fuck out...makes me numb...idk what to think. I know if i had the money i'd give it thought again...but then again I could get so much more fucked up for less money. It's not what it's CRACKed up to be. And I don't get it, but I'm so fucking calm and not add for once.
 
I don't think I've ever been as tempted as I am now. My relationship of 17 months is ending and it's actually the hardest thing I've ever done. I mean, I know it's not long really, but it was the world for me for so long. And what's making it worse is it's actually my choice, it's the right thing for me to be doing but it's so hard. I've spent all of tonight crying which is really pathetic for me and I'm trying my hardest not to cut but I have no other way of coping with this and I just don't know what to do.

It's just going to get worse for the rest of the week and I have nothing to do that can distract me. I'm seeing a friend maybe once or twice so that'll help then, but I don't work so I've really got nothing that can keep my mind off it. I've cancelled an acid trip I had planned later this week as I know I'm not going to be in the right state of mind for it. Every time I even think of it all I can think about is cutting and yeah. Hopefully this rambling made sense.

I'm so sorry to hear about your break-up, silentangst. It can never be underestimated how much a relationship means to us, and then how devestating it can be when it ends. I know you feel like you need an emotional release, and that cutting might be an outlet for you. But you know that if you do it, you will feel so much worse than you do now. Instead, it would be so much more beneficial for you to talk to a friend or a family member about how you're feeling. Once you get the words out and discuss it with someone else, you'll feel a weight lift off your shoulders. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk.
Take care <3
 
Well I've made it this far without cutting, and I'm sure if I try I can keep going, but I'm not sure I want to anymore. This is absolutely killing me.
 
Well I've made it this far without cutting, and I'm sure if I try I can keep going, but I'm not sure I want to anymore. This is absolutely killing me.

I know it feels like that now mate, but you WILL get through this. Without cutting. You don't need it. Please take care of yourself <3
 
Please don't do it hun, you will feel worse afterwards.
Be strong, find a different outlet for your emotion. Talk to someone about how you're feeling, it's so much better than bottling things up inside. I'm only a PM away if you want to chat, or you can call LifeLine 24 hours a day: 13 11 14
Take care of yourself hun <3
 
Much thanks for making this thread, it's such a hard subject to talk about irl since most people dont have this problem and wont understand where you're pain is comming from. It's been almost 2 months since i stopped cutting and I managed to catch myself. The scars are still embarassing reminders of how I let myself down and surrendered to the emotional pain I had. There's multiple reasons people might choose to hurt themselves and mine was a mixture of depression due to drug abuse and the need to feel a rush. I havn't yet overcome my urges to escape from reality, and I dont think i'll ever be able to assure myself that if I do fall off the deep end again, I wont pick up on some of my old habbits. I think that me realizing this helps because I know i'm only human. When life throws something my way it's up to me to figure out how to handle it, not anyone else. Just a message to anyone out there caught up in the same mess i was, dont give up on yourself completely because your guaranteed a chance to be happy in the future, and if future is all you have to look forward to, then hold on to that with everything you got. If you take life one day at a time, and learn from mistakes, you'll find out theres so many opportunities out there for happiness. <3
 
Hi brandon, I'm glad you found this thread :)
Beautiful post, thank you for sharing. Congrats on 2 months with no cutting, you should be really proud of that. Keep up the good work, and let us know how you're going. There's plenty of people right here if you ever need support <3
 
Much thanks for making this thread, it's such a hard subject to talk about irl since most people dont have this problem and wont understand where you're pain is comming from.

I agree. I find this almost impossible to say out loud, and I don't think I could ever really tell someone who I didn't know also did this, or had done. Saying this, I have not done this in a long time. I think it's been almost one year. I think, I can't remember the exact date, but a long streak. :)
 
Back to cutting... it's been a while since I last cut, but now I'm doing it again.

[editing out triggering material - n3o]
 
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^^ I'm so sorry to hear it's come back to this for you hun. You don't need to cut though, you went for so long without doing it. I know you can cope without it.
Please, stop, get some sleep and see how you feel tomorrow <3
 
been a while since i've self harmed. i'm starting to think about it more and more since my relapse. the guilt and shame that i'm going through is making everything worse.
i don't want to cut, like people say about the scars. uggh
 
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