Resource Self Harm Support Thread

[Nobodi]

I have slices on my harms (forearm area) most are like cat scratches but I have do have couple of keloid scars they help with stress management. The keloid ones help the most because it gave me the time to stop thinking about what I was going through with an individual employed by the nypd. The pain force me to be in the present moment and stopped me from rumination. If it wasn't for chat gpt I would to much difficulty express/ articulate the complaint. I'm still going through this issue now the internal affair take months to investigate ,up to 15 months from what I read I'll have to call them to see the update but I'm struggling to do that because the case is complex and very nerve wrecking I know this lacks context but when I'm ready I'll hope to have the strength to speak up , I have no choice I have to. It pretty much the whole reason why I'm even here to begin with. I will fight back even it kills me

 

[ConfusedClouds]

Thanks @Dot - I thought I had read this before and not found it helpful, but defo found some useful info this time! Funny how that happens over time.

The deep ones can take a couple months. And as they heal sometimes the wound looks like it gets deeper.

Thanks for the reassurance. Some more research (off of Dot's article) has got me to finally understand that its a little 'slough' I see in there at times too. But mainly just need to give me time and patience

I agree antibiotics are a funny one. I remember going to a walk-in for an insect bite (from travels to SE Asia) that hadn't healed after a few weeks (I was just after some dressings) and the nurse panicked and got me put in front of gp and on antibiotics when it was not inflammed/getting worse, nor was it an open wound - though I suppose it did heal quick after - wouldn't want to know how they might react to these! Let alone having 'clear' medical records for psych. Can only imagine it becoming a huge drama I would be at a loss for words for, making things a ton worse! Urgh...

 

[Liammm]

I wish I could cut but I can't because my body is being inspected semi weekly for some health reasons. I started biting again, and I kinda realized I've been doing this throughout my life? I thought i only started sh recently but eh it doesn't matter. I'm just frustrated that I cant do what i want to. Ugh.

Atleast when I bite in public, no one assumes or guesses, cause to others it looks like I'm covering my mouth or somethjng. Its atleast better than having to get my set up with my hidden blade and alcohol. It is genuinely more easy to do.

Sometimes, I bite and I have to latch on. If I let go for even a second, the thoughts flood back in. I'll stop and then I'll think that I'm invalid for biting sometimes too. I know it's kinda childish but idk. It's what i knew to do when i was stressed. And what i still know to do.

 

[iset]

I had a lot of pressure from family members. This led to a blackout and I apparently swallowed several blisters of pills. There are fresh cuts, I have zero memory of them.

 

[Yeeperooniez]

I have been self harming since about 15 and it started with punching walls but eventually when I became more emotionally charged and things started getting worse, cutting myself didn't seem so bad and didn't hurt too much. Eventually I ended up with a ton of scars on my arms that I have to look at now and are really embarrassing and make me want to die even more. I just can't take it anymore and want it all to stop

 

[maybunni]

I'm not sure why but I've been having the urge to SH for the last couple days despite no particular stressor in my life currently. I don't understand it?
Granted I've SH since I was 13 and it's been 10 years on and off but I just don't understand why I'm feeling the urge so deeply right now.

 

[Dot]

I'm not sure why but I've been having the urge to SH for the last couple days despite no particular stressor in my life currently. I don't understand it?
Granted I've SH since I was 13 and it's been 10 years on and off but I just don't understand why I'm feeling the urge so deeply right now.

Mght snd strnge bt r u bord

 

[jenson]

I mean, the craziest thing I ever did was burn myself with cigarettes every now and then. It started when I was hanging out with this girl I really liked in high school. She threatened to burn my arm with one when I was at her house with some friends one night. I told her to do it and she did. It wasn't because she was aware I liked her or anything (at least I don't think although it turned out later she was bat shit insane). I actually liked how it felt and it was fun shocking people when I would do it. I ended up with a few scars from it although I typically tried to burn in the same spot.

 

[deep-sleeper]

My preferred method to this day is punching myself, I've done it for as long as I known myself, last year, during a pretty rough month in uni, my right leg was pretty much colorful from all the hematomas

 

[EvisceratedJester]

My counsellor suggested me using rubber bands for my SH and they gave me one to wear. Well, I should be asleep right now but I'm awake snapping the rubber band against my wrist instead and now my wrist is all red and swollen. What was supposed to help me with my SH has instead turned into another SH method.

Spoiler: Tw SH

It looks more red and purplish irl.

The rubber band is also stretched out now

 

[CompulsiveParasite]

I do not know if this is considered SH but I've been doing this for almost a decade now, I use a nipper to cut pieces of my skin from my hands and soles of my feet
I rarely slice of enough skin on my hands to make it bleed, but on the soles of my feet I like to cut deeper until it bleeds so every step I take hurts

Seems like I hide it well enough because nobody has ever questioned me about it and even when I told a friend once he thought I was joking
Doing this brings me little to no benefit anymore, I mostly do it out of habit or when I'm stressed out of my mind

I've been having big urges to give cutting a try but I'm unable to do it with proper hygiene and I am unable to buy supplies for it in my current state
Nonetheless SH isn't a solution to my problems and will only magnitude my hatred towards myself so its something I try to stop

 

[deep-sleeper]

I know this is a place for help. But idk if I should make a post about it, and this thread is the next best thing.

I need help with hiding and taking care of cuts. My life is slowly getting shittier and shittier, and none of my usual self-harm habits are having the same effect. So I figure that I should start cutting myself for real this time

 

[Dot]

I know this is a place for help. But idk if I should make a post about it, and this thread is the next best thing.

I need help with hiding and taking care of cuts. My life is slowly getting shittier and shittier, and none of my usual self-harm habits are having the same effect. So I figure that I should start cutting myself for real this time

Self Harm Resources

This post is written by @Dot, I am just the messenger Self Harm It's known that there are many users on the forum who self harm for different reasons. This thread is focused mostly on habitual or impulsive/physical self harm. This thread has not been made for any glorification of self harm...

sanctioned-suicide.net

 

[viv5]

been doing a lot worse the last week
current state of my leg

Spoiler

 

[EternallyCold]

been doing a lot worse the last week
current state of my leg

Spoiler

View attachment 188420

I'm so sorry to hear that. Please take good care of those cuts, you wouldn't want to risk an infection

 

[OzymandiAsh]

I have actually never self harmed before but I am experiencing strong urges, and I am curious and want to learn more.
How do people who SH clean up all the blood? Do you guys typically bandage up the wounds?
How quickly do cuts tend to clot and stop bleeding?

 

[shampoo sniffer]

I don't cut super deep, just surface level scratches. I carved "worthless" and "die" onto my arm. I use a craft knife type blade.
I also punch myself on the arms.

started plucking out my eyelashes again

anyone else do this ?

It's called trichotillomania. I pull my eyelashes and eyebrows out too. I managed to pull every single eyelash out of my eye once.

My eyelashes are very weak now, they fall out with the slightest pressure.

 

[EternallyCold]

I have actually never self harmed before but I am experiencing strong urges

Please don't ever start self-harm, it has ruined my life and is irreversible. I have permanently f-cked up my body and wasted way too much money on wound care. There's no going back once you start.

How do people who SH clean up all the blood?

For me, I use towels. If I happen to stain anything with blood like my floor or clothes, I use hydrogen peroxide to clean it.

Do you guys typically bandage up the wounds?

Well, duh. If not then the wounds will probably get an infection as there's nothing to protect them. I usually just put a plaster over my wound and change it every 24 hours.

How quickly do cuts tend to clot and stop bleeding?

The blood clots really quickly, like it turns to jelly really fast and is hard to get out. It doesn't stop bleeding very quickly though.

 

[BeautifullyDumb]

I've been cutting for 10+ years. It helps me to make my emotional pain "real", I enjoy the blood and scars (they are the only things I like about my body), and tending to my wounds is a form of self-care for me, as odd as it may sound. Unfortunately, I need to slow down significantly because I'm becoming severely anemic, so I've been focusing more on scratching and hitting myself even though it doesn't work as well.

Spoiler: This is one of my favorite cuts

View attachment 57110

what did you use?? (hopefully it's not a rude question)

 

[somethingisntreal]

Is it normal for 2-4 year old scars to be still itchy? They're very bumpy and red-purplish (keloid scars)

 

[EternallyCold]

Is it normal for 2-4 year old scars to be still itchy? They're very bumpy and red-purplish (keloid scars)

Yes! My scars are mostly hypertrophic and keloid scars and they still itch a ton. It's normal but if it helps you can try applying petroleum jelly to ease the itch

 

[somethingisntreal]

Yes! My scars are mostly hypertrophic and keloid scars and they still itch a ton. It's normal but if it helps you can try applying petroleum jelly to ease the itch

Thank you so much for the help!!

 

[fruitninjamaster]

Normally when I make my styros I think man, these are tiny, but I scroll through here and peoples scratches look HUGE, I can feel my brain becoming more messed up as I type

Normally when I make my styros I think man, these are tiny, but I scroll through here and peoples scratches look HUGE, I can feel my brain becoming more messed up as I type

Also, I am so jealous of people who keloid with there scars, I make giant wounds and get nothing out of it

 

[alstroemeria55]

Not actively cutting currently because I want my thighs to heal but I can't stop biting my inner cheeks raw. If I was alone at home I would probably be bruising myself silly with a rock or a belt. I wonder if my tinnitus got worse from hitting my head with my fists or if I was already screwed up and just never noticed it.

 

[cuervo]

this is my first post but i kind of wanted to talk abt my experience with self harm.

since i was young id always try and find ways to bring the sensation of pain to myself whether that be touching hot objects or digging my teeth/nails into myself. i started cutting when i was a teenager and never really stopped. i've been through treatment for it but its never helped. personally i enjoy the sensation of it and the aftermath of the scarring process and such. i have friends who also have self harm issues and there are many many reasons for why people engage in the act. it's often seen as odd to mutilate ones self but that is judgement coming from someone who doesn't understand what self harm might bring to someone. of course there are negatives to self harm too, but it's important to understand why someone might do it.

 

[fairygirl184]

ive been self harming for 15 years now and yet today im feeling so fucking shit about it. had an alcohol fuelled freak out last night and hit my head a lot and i feel so headachy and fuzzy. wish i could make it go away :(

 

[rlllyydepressed]

I started self harming at 14 I do regret all of the scars it's left tho