How do I stop cutting my wrists?

I'm 15 and I been cutting my wrists for about 8 months and now I can't stop. I do it when i get sad or depressed which is pretty often. I've tried seeing a counselor but it only helped for a few weeks. I tried getting rid of all my razors and anything else sharp but I just went out and bought more. My parents know and DO NOT care. The only time I stopped cutting was when I had a boyfriend but when it was over I carved his name into my wrist. I just really need some advice on how to stop before I really get hurt.

i started cutting 3 years ago and stopped doing it when i realized its for emos

Cutting is a sign of 'control'. Maybe you will grow out of it when the 'emo' phase is over.

honestly, you will be dead soon, especially if you dont knock that off. If you have issues like that, talk to somebody, dont harm yourself!

If your therapist can't help you're not going to find any answers here.

You need psychiatric help, maybe get on some anti-depressants.

get some depressed pills, but not the kind that make u all fraky and happy and peppy all the time..then ppl just act nuts. try talking about whats getting u depressed. u need to get it out there. :} ansd WHY the hell dont ur parents care?? THAT IS NOT RIGHT!!! call them out on their poor parenting..:}

Try seeing a counselor again, and be disciplined about not cutting up.

Good Luck

All the best

~Isaac

get on some meds. and take up a new hobby maybe like pottery where your hands and mind are busy. just think of something that you like and do it when you get sad. but the fact that you know you can hurt yourself should be your motive to quit

You may need more help than a counselor can give you. I suggest seeing a Psychiatrist before this gets out of hand.

I would say try to invest some more time into a counsler. And a companion can help especially someone who has gone through the same thing you have. Im sure you can find a forum on the internet with kinda like a support group. Hope this helps

Usually people who self-injure do so because that's the only way they know how to deal with overwhelming feelings. It is NOT an attempt at suicide, it is an attempt to PREVENT suicide. Also, most people who do self-injure come from backgrounds where their feelings were not understood or valued (for example: "stop crying, you're just being a baby, nothing is really wrong", instead of "you're sad, lets talk about what's bothering you and see if we can come up with a way to make things better").

The behavior itself is only a symptom of a deeper problem, usually related to inability to identify and/or deal with what you're feeling. If you work on your coping skills, you will probably loose your need to cut. Here's a website that might help:

http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/injury.html

I know it's hard to stop. Let me tell you that it's all on you. Yes, it's a very hard thing to do, but it is possible. It's like a drunk trying to let go of beer, and sincerely it's now all in subconsciousness. You don't realize it, but for all you know you are cutting yourself. It is a bad thing and if you really wanted to stop, you'd give it your best effort. Try to figure out why you first started, and try to find a cause for stopping. For example try an after-school program, such as sports, dancing or something entertaining. The more you take your mid off it the better. Hey, it's a good way to start.

omg thats what i did...is the couseler a school one? go to a real therapist or if u do, then also get other parents involved too...i have to go to therapy and i get my arms checked alot for cuts

everytime you feel like doing it, do something that takes your concentration and time. play a videogame, read a book, run around the block. dont think about it, because then if you do the more and more you want to cut yourself. thats why its important to do something that it has to take your mind too. clean your room, change your room around a little bit, make a scrapbook

If you do it when you are sad or depressed, then maybe you should treat that. It's a chemical brain imbalance, nothing to be ashamed of, and there are well proven pharmaceuticals to help you.

I suppose I do understand how you feel at times. Is it pain of rejection that makes you feel so angry that the only way to cure this pain is to hurt yourself? That your parents don't care shows, that you're a lot on your own with doing things. Things seem to get you down a lot. I was quite similar at your age. Please, what you need to do is stop cutting yourself. The scars will stay your whole life. And every scar tells its own story. You need to start doing things for yourself that make you feel good. Start appreciating yourself more. And please, see a Doctor. Tell them how you feel. A light antidepressant might help lift your feelings and emotions up. If you have no one to talk to at times, and have the need to get a lot of things of your mind, start writing in a diary. It has always helped me. And really, I let you know now. It is not worth it cutting yourself to bits... I look at my scars now and then, am a little embarrassed when people keep asking me. I honestly hope you get out of this, as soon as possible. Good Luck.

You have very low self-esteem and it seems that you blame yourself for things that go wrong in your life; that's why you cut yourself. Trust me, only very few things that go wrong in life is because of ourselves. You don't need advice because you already know that whatever advice anyone has to give to you, it all will end in you just STOPPING. It takes focus and love for yourself. You need someone to talk to that will be a good listener. Get a dog or cat and spend alot of time with your pet. Also, you are on the internet so find other people that do the same thing in your area, hang out/chat and see what works for them. By the way, take pictures/record yourself doing this and look at them when you are happy; see if it is worth it. This is not a can't thing, this is a won't thing because you got by without doing this 8 months ago. Truthfully , you don't need antidepressants, because that only works when you are on them. You need to learn how to control your mind because that is permanent. Conquer one week, then two and keep on going. If you mess up start over again, but don't make a habit because you would be wasting time. Go to the hospital and see teen agers who wished they had a chance to live longer but are dying

throw a bunch of eggs on your street and like at your garbage can outside.. keep busy... and think of this, people have it worse off than you, so in a way your being selfish doing that to yourself when you KNOW you dont have it as bad as some people.. no to be meen but yeah you just gotta think bout that, plus you have to belive that you are stronger than that you just have to you will never be helped if you dont belive you can!
good luck hun. In my prayers!
peace

Go out and do something wiht your life. Don't just sit around and do nothing. Get things off your mind. Other than that going to the doctor might help or going to a psychiatrist.

Self injury is a very serious issue. As you said, counseling helped so you should go back. If you are completely honest in counseling he/she can help you figure out why it "stopped working" after a few weeks. You need to figure out why you are cutting and deal with those issues first. It can help to redirect those feelings to something else (IE: writing in a journal, painting, exercising, drawing, yoga, talking to a friend etc.). Self injury is a very tough issue to deal with, especially on your own. But it is possible to get through. It does take a lot of will-power. I would start by contacting a counselor again. Best of Luck.

Hey there, you just have to find something to distract you from those nagging depressing thoughts. Therapy can be a great help, but only if you make it a constant and find someone you really connect with.
Don't know if you're into reading but I'd highly suggest reading the Power of Now by Eckart Tolle, it's a tool for resolving alot of painful issues. And can renew your confidence in yourself!!

Your parents do not care?
That is screwed up.
I used to do it so bad I would have to get stitches.
And they put me through a rehab program to get over it, and thats what helped me through it.
They didn't force me either, I just asked them for the help.

Also, if the school or DSS finds out that your parents know and do not care, you can get taken away from them.

I used to do that all the time because I had nothing better to do, and it made for a cheap tattoo. So I'm not sure if this will work for you, but try putting an elastic band around you wrist and snap it on your wrist, also go for a lot of walks. People naturally get depressed when they don't get sun and exercise, even sunbathe in your yard, eat healthy too. Distract yourself.
Do not take pills for it until you've tried everything else, you are committed and too many people these days try to solve everything with pills. A lot of people your age go through this, you are not alone.

I used to cut too. I would put a rubber band around my wrist and snap it when i felt the need to cut myself. Also, writing really helped me, and still does. I know that this is a scary time, and I can relate to you. I would recommend seeing another therapist and maybe talking about it with him/her about some family counseling. It seems that your parents not caring might by them doing reverse psychology on you, or them just not understanding that you are depressed, and that this could lead to suicide. Every time you cut it's like another suicide attempt. Don't let the lonliness in your life kill you. I am here if you need to talk also. ashlyn.schoof@blc.edu.
Hang in there sweetie. Take my advice.

Okay it's hard yes we know.
it's like getting addicted to smoking so it's gonna be hard.
I suggest that instead of cutting your wrists... take your depression out by doing something athletic...
boxing, running... it can take out stress.
Or just hang out with friends. anything that takes your mind off of sharp things that can make you bleed.

How Can I Stop Hurting Myself?

“My anguish was out of control. Then I found something that I could control—physical pain.”—Jennifer, 20.

“When I’d get upset, I’d cut. It was my way of crying. I’d be happier after.”—Jessica, 17.

“I haven’t done it now for about two weeks. That’s a long time for me. I don’t think I will ever totally stop.”—Jamie, 16.

JENNIFER, Jessica, and Jamie do not know one another, but they have a lot in common. All three were in emotional anguish. And all three adopted the same method of coping with their despair. Jennifer, Jessica, and Jamie found temporary relief through self-injury.

Bizarre as it may seem, self-injury—which includes cutting or self-mutilation—has become surprisingly common among teens and young adults. Canada’s National Post notes that the practice “terrifies parents, baffles [school] guidance counsellors and challenges doctors.” It also says that self-injury “can become one of the toughest addictions known to medicine.” Have you or someone close to you become enslaved to this habit? If so, what can you do about it?

First, try to discern the reason why you feel compelled to hurt yourself. Remember, cutting is more than a mere nervous habit. Usually, it is a way of coping with some form of stress. The cutter uses physical pain to alleviate emotional pain. So ask yourself: ‘What purpose does self-injury serve for me? What am I thinking about when I feel the urge to cut?’ Is there a situation in your life—perhaps with regard to your family or your friends—that is causing you distress?

No doubt it will take courage for you to make such a self-examination. But the rewards can be great. Often, this is the first step toward stopping the practice of self-injury. However, more is needed than simply uncovering the roots of your habit.

The Value of Confiding

If you have succumbed to self-injury, you will benefit by sharing your troubled feelings with a trusted and mature friend. A Bible proverb says: “Worry can rob you of happiness, but kind words will cheer you up.” (Proverbs 12:25, Today’s English Version) Confiding in another can put you in a position to hear the consoling, kind words you need.—Proverbs 25:11.

Whom should you approach? It would be good to select someone older than you who shows wisdom, maturity, and compassion. Christians have the benefit of congregation elders, who are “like a hiding place from the wind and a place of concealment from the rainstorm, like streams of water in a waterless country, like the shadow of a heavy crag in an exhausted land.”—Isaiah 32:2.

Granted, the idea of sharing your secret with someone may seem frightening. You may feel as did Sara. “At first, I found it hard to trust,” she admits. “I believed that once people knew me—really knew me—they would draw back in loathing and disgust.” By confiding, however, Sara came to appreciate the truth of what the Bible states at Proverbs 18:24: “There exists a friend sticking closer than a brother.” She says: “The mature Christians I confided in never reproached me, no matter what I revealed to them about my self-injuring habits. Instead, they provided me with practical suggestions. They reasoned with me from the Scriptures, patiently reassuring me when I felt despondent and utterly worthless.”

Why not talk to someone about your problem with self-injury? If you feel that you cannot bear a face-to-face discussion, try communicating in a letter or over the telephone. Confiding can be a positive step toward your recovery. Jennifer says, “The most important thing was knowing that someone really cared about me, that there was someone I could talk to when things looked bleak.”

The Importance of Prayer

Donna was at an impasse. On the one hand, she felt that she needed God’s help. On the other, she imagined that he would not favor her with his support until she quit cutting herself. What helped Donna? One factor was meditating on 1 Chronicles 29:17, which calls Jehovah God “an examiner of the heart.” “Jehovah knew that in my heart I really wanted to stop cutting,” says Donna. “Once I started praying to him for help, it was amazing. Little by little, I kept getting stronger.”

The psalmist David, who was no stranger to adversity, wrote: “Throw your burden upon Jehovah himself, and he himself will sustain you.” (Psalm 55:22) Yes, Jehovah knows about your suffering. More than that, “he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) If your heart condemns you, remember that God is ‘greater than your heart and knows all things.’ Yes, he understands why you self-injure and why you find it difficult to stop. (1 John 3:19, 20) If you approach him in prayer and endeavor to overcome this practice, he will “really help you.”—Isaiah 41:10.

What, though, if you experience a relapse? Does that mean you have failed completely? By no means! Proverbs 24:16 says: “The righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up.” Reflecting on that Bible verse, Donna says, “I fell more than seven times, but I did not give up.” Donna found that persistence is essential. So did Karen. “I learned to view a relapse as a temporary setback, not a failure, and to start over as many times as necessary,” she says.

When Additional Assistance Is Needed

Jesus recognized that ‘those who are ill need a physician.’ (Mark 2:17) In many cases it is necessary to consult a qualified professional to determine if there is a disorder underlying the habit of self-injury and then to propose treatment. Jennifer chose to get such help, which complemented the support she received from loving Christian overseers. “The elders are not doctors, but they have been so supportive,” she says. “Although the urge to hurt myself still comes at times, I have been successful in controlling it with the help of Jehovah, the congregation, and the coping skills I have learned.”

Be assured that you can learn to replace this habit with more productive ways of coping. Pray as did the psalmist: “Fix my own steps solidly in your saying, and may no kind of hurtful thing domineer over me.” (Psalm 119:133) Surely, you will gain satisfaction and self-respect when you get the mastery over this practice so that it no longer dominates you.

TO THINK ABOUT

▪ What are some alternatives to cutting when you feel distressed?

▪ In whom could you confide if you have a problem with cutting?

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