hi sorry for any typos while im typing this im very scared and nervous
i cut myself again
ive always self harmed but recently ive taken up cutting myself and its just so addicting. i did it again today and broke my 12 day streak and i just feel so useless and horrible. i tried calling a local warm line thing but i got too nervous and hung up.
HELP YOURSELF:
- Thank you for reaching out to TeenCentral. It is okay to be scared and nervous. You have shown incredible bravery and strength to reach out to TeenCentral. The most important thing is your safety!
- It is important that you remain safe both physically and emotionally. You mentioned calling a help line and feeling too nervous and hanging up. Maybe typing would be easier than talking? PLEASE USE the International Crisis Textline that you can easily access by texting HELLO to 741741. If you ever feel urges to cut or harm yourself please reach out to them via text or online at www.crisistextline.org. These resources are available 24/7. Your safety is the most important thing. If you decide you want to try talking to someone, consider calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The people there are all trained and know how to help you.
- Who do you trust that you can talk to? This could be a friend, neighbor, teacher, or guidance counselor. Talking to this person can give you a safe outlet to release the feelings you have inside. It is important to talk about your feelings instead of letting them build and then coping in unsafe ways.
- You deserve to feel better. You were able to resist harming yourself for 12 days, which must have been hard to do. Any difficult goal that we want to reach takes time and practice, and sometimes starting again. You didn’t lose those 12 days you achieved – you can do it again and again, and get better and better until you reach your goal about self-injury. Don’t give up!
WHEN YOU ARE READY:
- When our feelings build up, sometimes we use coping mechanisms that have the potential cause more harm. Self harm is a coping skill just like other skills, but instead of helping, it causes injury, guilt, and worry for you. (You can read more about self-injury by clicking here.) The thing is, it sounds like you are working on doing something else to manage your stress – you didn’t harm yourself for 12 days, you tried calling a warmline, and you reached out to us! Good for you! This is a good time to find some different ways to cope and keep yourself safe. Think about the thing you enjoy in your life – is it music, art, nature, being active, school, reading? Whatever brings you a sense of happiness and peace can also help when it comes to managing the stress that brings on the urge to cut. What can you do that could help you cope in more positive and healthy ways? There are many coping skills on the TeenCentral site. Check them out and try some of them. Don’t stop until you find something that helps.
- Going back to that 12-day stretch. We know you feel disappointed that you cut again, but you can keep going! Have you considered keeping a chart when you are finding more positive and safe coping skills and when you feel like you need them the most? What works and what doesn’t work? Reward yourself for achieving small goals. Remember that just like learning a new skill or breaking a habit, this will not happen overnight. It will take time and consistency. If you break a stretch, pick yourself up and try again. Over time, it will get easier to achieve your goals.
- In addition to reaching out and talking to someone you trust, journaling may help you express the feelings that you are experiencing. What feelings cause you to self-harm/cut? What is going on in your life that may be causing these feelings? What is the worst part? Start with these prompts and if you need more, check out our “What’s New” Tab or follow this link. You may even be able to use these journal entries to communicate with someone else when you’re ready.
