Self harm method no one uses

[nightlygem]

Saying "no one" here is kind of an over exaggeration, but I digress.
I know people start groaning when I mention it, but exercise is seriously such a good way to self harm without leaving marks. And I don't mean going on a run for 20 minutes a day, I mean lifting heavy weights and pushing yourself until you physically cannot move your body without being in pain.
Personally, it's been my favorite method of self harm. Not only am I in pain, but I look good afterwards.
I know some people on here can't find motivation to go to the gym, but I would suggest buying cheap dumbbells and curling them over and over again until you can't move your arm up anymore. Or, if you do want to go on a run, RUN. Don't stop to take a break, just go until you can't anymore.

Not the best advice if you're trying to recover, obviously because there's numerous factors to consider (such as disabilities) and this can result in fatal or life worsening problems (unless that's your goal).

Let me know if anyone has tried this method. I'd be happy to provide some of my intense workout routines that are only ~20 min long.

 

[Levia@than]

It's probably healthier too. I feel like I don't need to explain that exercising has several health benefits. It's certainly better for you than traditional sh that's for sure.

 

[nightlygem]

It's probably healthier too. I feel like I don't need to explain that exercising has several health benefits. It's certainly better for you than traditional sh that's for sure.

I find that the sharp pain of cutting and the soreness of working out my arms is very similar. It's also made my depression easier to deal with at times

 

[Slow_Farewell]

For the workouts, do you need any sort of equipment? i'd be interested in trying out some of them if that's okay.

 

[Happyfacade]

I'd just add that if you're someone who feels depressed and haven't tried recovery but is considering sh, this is a great and socially acceptable way to do it, but you should start slow and at a standard level, you might just feel better and motivated in living and getting better instead of doing sh or killing yourself, if you don't feel any connection to life you can just intensify the workouts and feel the adrenaline and pain you've been craving. Two birds with one stone...

 

[nightlygem]

For the workouts, do you need any sort of equipment? i'd be interested in trying out some of them if that's okay.

Honestly there's some pretty good workouts you can do without any material (push ups, sit ups, etc) however, if you want to feel sharp pains I would recommend getting weights/dumbbells. 5lb weights are usually under $10 and you can get them online if you wanted to. You can pretty much use those for anything and they give you a good result.

I'd just add that if you're someone who feels depressed and haven't tried recovery but is considering sh, this is a great and socially acceptable way to do it, but you should start slow and at a standard level, you might just feel better and motivated in living and getting better instead of doing sh or killing yourself, if you don't feel any connection to life you can just intensify the workouts and feel the adrenaline and pain you've been craving. Two birds with one stone...

Agreed. This method has been great for recovering from my cutting addiction but without having to let go of sh completely. The pain lasts for days too, rather than a simple second of relief.

 

[Intoxicated]

5lb weights are usually under $10 and you can get them online if you wanted to. You can pretty much use those for anything and they give you a good result.

5 lb seems too light for me, I use 5 kg dumbbells. I'd recommend to pick the optimal weight in an offline shop if possible.

 

[Ah.ow]

can you elaborate how to reach pain? is it different than I guess using bad form or not using safety approaches?

 

[EvisceratedJester]

I feel like overexercising is a pretty common sh method that just doesn't get talked about a lot.

 

[nightlygem]

can you elaborate how to reach pain? is it different than I guess using bad form or not using safety approaches?

Obviously, do not purposely assume the incorrect form when doing exercises. The goal is to inflict temporary harm, not permanent damage.
the goal is to essentially push yourself to your absolute limit when working out. If you're not using any weights, doing an extra pushup when you think you can't do it anymore, planking for an extra minute or until you collapse, stuff like that.
I caution you when it comes to weights. Try not to crush yourself, but also don't be afraid to exert yourself given the correct precautions. Doing an extra curl, for example, will definitely hurt but unlikely to cause permanent damage. Doing too many bench presses feels really painful and it's a wonderful feeling, but you run the risk of the weights falling on your chest if you don't have a spotter.

Overall, just research exercises that fit your situation. If you don't have any dumbbells lying around, basic calisthenics will do the trick. If you have access to gym, there should be little picture guides on each of the machines (fair warning, they're not always helpful, so don't be afraid to pull out your phone and look up how to do it, lol)

 

[ConfusedClouds]

There have definitely been times where I have been tired and achey and still gone for a run as I have been mentally spinning and so exercise is the least 'harm' of the options of if I had stayed in the house - I don't trust myself.

For me hill or stair sprints is a good non-equipment way of 'punishing' myself - run up the way then walk back down to get breath back, then turn and burn at the bottom to run back up. Gets a real leg and lung burn and I find easier to 'keep pushing' through the burn like the extra rep of weights as I can look ahead to the top and channel my anger/frustration/emotion at screaming at myself to just get to the top.

Repeat as many times as possible/needed to feel calmer.

Another option with no weights for is using resistance bands - low weight, high volume (number of reps). Or household stuff like tins of beans or bottles of juice. Its the micro damage from pushing out of comfort zone that feels so good (DOMs), but need to be careful not to go into actual muscle tears/damage as that can be real bad news and impact daily functioning and need proper physio treatment. Heavy weights needs proper technique otherwise it could be real bad news. So I stick with low weight/high reps.

 

[Linda]

Saying "no one" here is kind of an over exaggeration, but I digress.
I know people start groaning when I mention it, but exercise is seriously such a good way to self harm without leaving marks. And I don't mean going on a run for 20 minutes a day, I mean lifting heavy weights and pushing yourself until you physically cannot move your body without being in pain.
Personally, it's been my favorite method of self harm. Not only am I in pain, but I look good afterwards.
I know some people on here can't find motivation to go to the gym, but I would suggest buying cheap dumbbells and curling them over and over again until you can't move your arm up anymore. Or, if you do want to go on a run, RUN. Don't stop to take a break, just go until you can't anymore.

Not the best advice if you're trying to recover, obviously because there's numerous factors to consider (such as disabilities) and this can result in fatal or life worsening problems (unless that's your goal).

Let me know if anyone has tried this method. I'd be happy to provide some of my intense workout routines that are only ~20 min long.

A danger with what you are doing is that you are not just harming yourself right now, you may be damaging your body in a way that is permanent. The long term effects will probably be small with each session, but cumulative. If your life ever reaches a stage where you "recover" fully and don't want to self harm, you would still be left with the damage. Member @davidtorez over-did his martial arts training and is now in a bad state physically. Your situation isn't the same as his, but perhaps you could ask him for advice about what your limits should be.

 

[davidtorez]

A danger with what you are doing is that you are not just harming yourself right now, you may be damaging your body in a way that is permanent. The long term effects will probably be small with each session, but cumulative. If your life ever reaches a stage where you "recover" fully and don't want to self harm, you would still be left with the damage. Member @davidtorez over-did his martial arts training and is now in a bad state physically. Your situation isn't the same as his, but perhaps you could ask him for advice about what your limits should be.

You are absolutely correct. Depending on how old the person is when they are over exerting themselves, will determine how quick they recover and other health concerns they may have . Over exerting yourself in your younger years will come with great pains and aches in your later years, physically through issues such as osteoarthritis and tendonosis. This will undoubtedly affect your mental well being too. At the moment there are no cures for these things and I've tried most things. I never thought I'd get old when I was in my 20s and 30s , but here I am now at 42 with the joints of a 60 + man wishing I were dead and hardly anything left to look forward to

 

[ConfusedClouds]

You are absolutely correct. Depending on how old the person is when they are over exerting themselves, will determine how quick they recover and other health concerns they may have . Over exerting yourself in your younger years will come with great pains and aches in your later years, physically through issues such as osteoarthritis and tendonosis. This will undoubtedly affect your mental well being too. At the moment there are no cures for these things and I've tried most things. I never thought I'd get old when I was in my 20s and 30s , but here I am now at 42 with the joints of a 60 + man wishing I were dead and hardly anything left to look forward to

Thats interesting to hear, and something I heard about a bit when I used to be training for elite sport. I no longer compete but have sort of kept up my training habits and routines and am annoyingly fitter/stronger than I was when competing. I do find it massively helps me keep things more rational/in control/calmer/distracted.

I'd be interested to hear what nature of training/exercise you used to do. The broad nature rather than detailed specifics. Was it contact based? (Linda mentioned martial arts) or high impact or long periods of cardio or whatever else?

Thanks

 

[davidtorez]

Thats interesting to hear, and something I heard about a bit when I used to be training for elite sport. I no longer compete but have sort of kept up my training habits and routines and am annoyingly fitter/stronger than I was when competing. I do find it massively helps me keep things more rational/in control/calmer/distracted.

I'd be interested to hear what nature of training/exercise you used to do. The broad nature rather than detailed specifics. Was it contact based? (Linda mentioned martial arts) or high impact or long periods of cardio or whatever else?

Thanks

I started with weights training and aikido practise which started in my early to mid 20s . In 2007 I started JKD and muay thai whilst still weight training on a week basis , it was about 3 days a week with weights roughly and a couple of days martial arts. My body hardly had rest days. In 2009 I started kobudo on top of all the other arts I was training in , which is Japanese weaponry. Japanese sword and stick fighting damaged my elbow joints more than anything else. Continued this kind of training more or less on and off until my mid to late 30s , but it was in my late 30s when I started feeling the symptoms of osteoarthritis/ chondromalacia and tendonosis/tendonitis coming on. Now I'm 42 and it's almost unbearable some days especially in the winter and morning times upon getting out of bed . I can only imagine how much worse it will get in the coming years which is why I'm here.

 

[fleetingnight]

I'm not saying it's common, but I think it's more common than it seems, a lot who do it are just in denial that it's self harm (or sincerely don't even realize it) I think it's more common as a form of self harm among men. (Though, still not THAT common. I'm not saying everyone who works out a lot is self harming.)

 

[ConfusedClouds]

I started with weights training and aikido practise which started in my early to mid 20s . In 2007 I started JKD and muay thai whilst still weight training on a week basis , it was about 3 days a week with weights roughly and a couple of days martial arts. My body hardly had rest days. In 2009 I started kobudo on top of all the other arts I was training in , which is Japanese weaponry. Japanese sword and stick fighting damaged my elbow joints more than anything else. Continued this kind of training more or less on and off until my mid to late 30s , but it was in my late 30s when I started feeling the symptoms of osteoarthritis/ chondromalacia and tendonosis/tendonitis coming on. Now I'm 42 and it's almost unbearable some days especially in the winter and morning times upon getting out of bed . I can only imagine how much worse it will get in the coming years which is why I'm here.

Oh wow that all kicked in 'relatively' quickly/young for you and sounds brutal. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Definitely food for thought. Sorry to hear how bad it has got for you.

Sadly I'm a bit stuck where I really really struggle without exercise and get very twitchy and kick off other sh type behaviours if left sitting around too long (alcohol, cuts/burns, over working, generally head/thoughts spinning, insomnia). I'm quite good at nutrition and balanced diet with natural protein intake (not supplements) but maybe I need to think more about something like stretching/yoga. If there even is a way of minimising risk of such illnesses developing.

 

[alltoomuch2]

Saying "no one" here is kind of an over exaggeration, but I digress.
I know people start groaning when I mention it, but exercise is seriously such a good way to self harm without leaving marks. And I don't mean going on a run for 20 minutes a day, I mean lifting heavy weights and pushing yourself until you physically cannot move your body without being in pain.
Personally, it's been my favorite method of self harm. Not only am I in pain, but I look good afterwards.
I know some people on here can't find motivation to go to the gym, but I would suggest buying cheap dumbbells and curling them over and over again until you can't move your arm up anymore. Or, if you do want to go on a run, RUN. Don't stop to take a break, just go until you can't anymore.

Not the best advice if you're trying to recover, obviously because there's numerous factors to consider (such as disabilities) and this can result in fatal or life worsening problems (unless that's your goal).

Let me know if anyone has tried this method. I'd be happy to provide some of my intense workout routines that are only ~20 min long.

I used to self-harm with exercise-belonged to a number of different gyms so the owners didn't realise, and additionally went running and indoor climbing. All came to an end when I tore the tendon off my shoulder and couldn't use my arm. Had to have surgery. I used to run as fast as I could for as long as I could until I vomited/nearly fainted, walk around a bit then do it again, and again, and again etc. Then go to the next gym. I experimented with different weight training, like lifting really slowly, or halfway, stop then all the way over and over again. At the same time I starved myself of carbs.
I got super fit then injured. I wouldn't do it again.

 

[willitpass]

You are absolutely correct. Depending on how old the person is when they are over exerting themselves, will determine how quick they recover and other health concerns they may have . Over exerting yourself in your younger years will come with great pains and aches in your later years, physically through issues such as osteoarthritis and tendonosis. This will undoubtedly affect your mental well being too. At the moment there are no cures for these things and I've tried most things. I never thought I'd get old when I was in my 20s and 30s , but here I am now at 42 with the joints of a 60 + man wishing I were dead and hardly anything left to look forward to

A danger with what you are doing is that you are not just harming yourself right now, you may be damaging your body in a way that is permanent. The long term effects will probably be small with each session, but cumulative. If your life ever reaches a stage where you "recover" fully and don't want to self harm, you would still be left with the damage. Member @davidtorez over-did his martial arts training and is now in a bad state physically. Your situation isn't the same as his, but perhaps you could ask him for advice about what your limits should be.

You don't have to be old or injured to cause serious injury doing this. I'm not at all in a place to be telling someone to not self harm, but I will say don't try and kid yourself that this doesn't have the potential to be immediately dangerous. Wearing your muscles down like that can cause severe tendonitis pretty quickly, which takes a long time to go away and may even cause a full tendon reputure if done repeatedly. Your form is going to suffer as you get tired which can run the risk of things like torn ligaments and tendon, etc. Your bones are at risk. Rhabdomyelsis, while rare, can also be a risk taken with this. There are many consequences that can be a lot more severe than just plain sore muscles and pain with this kind of self harm. Like I said, I'm not one to lecture and say don't hurt yourself, I'd be the worlds biggest hypocrite, but being fully aware of the risks is important.

 

[davidtorez]

You don't have to be old or injured to cause serious injury doing this. I'm not at all in a place to be telling someone to not self harm, but I will say don't try and kid yourself that this doesn't have the potential to be immediately dangerous. Wearing your muscles down like that can cause severe tendonitis pretty quickly, which takes a long time to go away and may even cause a full tendon reputure if done repeatedly. Your form is going to suffer as you get tired which can run the risk of things like torn ligaments and tendon, etc. Your bones are at risk. Rhabdomyelsis, while rare, can also be a risk taken with this. There are many consequences that can be a lot more severe than just plain sore muscles and pain with this kind of self harm. Like I said, I'm not one to lecture and say don't hurt yourself, I'd be the worlds biggest hypocrite, but being fully aware of the risks is important.

I have to agree with what's been said here, although I've never heard of Rhabdomyelsis until now, sounds very bad. My first bout of tendonitis took just over a year to heal, and my elbow has never been the same since, it just keeps coming back and back , now it's turned into tendonosis which is the chronic degeneration of the tendon.

 

[ConfusedClouds]

Who knows if I got all paranoid from this thread but guess who has now got a niggle in their elbow
It seems to have cleared up a lot over the first 24-36h and am actually 'treating' it more tonight - splint/ibuprofen/protein/vitamins and a second full rest day. Likely my ulna nerve catching/annoyed/inflamed in my elbow (using knowledge of sports injuries from one of my numerous past lives). Pins and needles gone now but light twinging still with certain movements. Feel like a right idiot. Think I was more confused and annoyed that it showed up waking up with pins and needles yesterday morning alongside other general DOMs rather than a sudden onset from a particular action/movement that I can blame.

 

[nightlygem]

Who knows if I got all paranoid from this thread but guess who has now got a niggle in their elbow
It seems to have cleared up a lot over the first 24-36h and am actually 'treating' it more tonight - splint/ibuprofen/protein/vitamins and a second full rest day. Likely my ulna nerve catching/annoyed/inflamed in my elbow (using knowledge of sports injuries from one of my numerous past lives). Pins and needles gone now but light twinging still with certain movements. Feel like a right idiot. Think I was more confused and annoyed that it showed up waking up with pins and needles yesterday morning alongside other general DOMs rather than a sudden onset from a particular action/movement that I can blame.

Please take proper care of yourself until your symptoms subside. I apologize for the thread causing you paranoia. Are there any possible causes you can think of?