Should I call someone?! (I want to self harm)?

Hey, Im sorry you and your friend are going through this, but its great you want to stop.

Try listening to the song Warrior, Demi Lovato: youtube.com/watch?v=UFeJkfB4xKo The lyrics really help me.

This is a list my therapist gave me of things you can do whenever you get the urge:

Talking when you have the urge really helps, and it doesn't have to be a friend or family member. You can call hotlines like The Samaritans (if in the UK) on 116123 which is open 24 hours a day. You can call them anytime and say or ask anything. You can tell them anything and they wont judge and will listen to you. You can even try talking to a pet or an inanimate object like a photograph or a poster. These objects can give you somewhere to aim your voice and won’t judge you.

Try wait it out. Delaying self-harm once you feel the urge is one way to break the cycle. Start with waiting just 5 or 10 minutes. See if the urge passes. If you still feel the urge to self-harm, wait another 10 minutes.

You can also do physical things like:
- Hold/squeeze an ice cube in your hand (or wherever you want to harm) and let it melt on you
- Snap a rubber band on your wrist. Doing this (or the ice) will hurt but wont leave a scar.
- Draw on the place you want to self harm with a red marker pen, fake blood or watered down food colouring
- Hit/punch/throw a pillow against a wall
- Play loud music and dance to it
- Spend some energy - go for a run/walk/bike ride/do yoga/muscle exercises. You can find many exercise/yoga classes online
- Allow yourself to cry. Crying relieves stress, can help you calm down and can help you feel better.
- Squeeze/crush something such as a stress ball

Work out how you are feeling:
- Ask yourself "why am I self harming. Do I feel angry?’ ‘Do I feel anxious?’ ‘What about?’
- Ask yourself ‘What would the razor blade say if it could talk to me?’
- Write a letter to someone you’re angry with, hurt by etc. saying how you feel (No need to send it.)
- Write down how you feel in a diary, journal or just a piece of paper

You can do creative things like:
- Listen to songs that express how you feel. Songs like, Firework, By the grace of God-Katy Perry, Human,
I believe-Christina Perri, Take me home-Jess Glynne, Who you are-Jessie J, Keep holding on-Avril Lavigne, Footprints in the sand-Leona Lewis, perfect-Pink, really help me
- Write your own song lyrics
- Draw/paint to express what you want to do or are feeling
- Edit photos/Deface a magazine or newspaper
- Write your own story/song or poetry

Comforting yourself:
- Have a hot shower/bath. Use things like bubble bath, salts, oils and music during it.
- You can go online and search for chat rooms/forums about self harm and anonymously talk to other people going through similar things
- Write down how you feel on a piece of paper then tear it up
- Stay in bed
- Use aromatherapy oils
- Eat something sweet you enjoy, like chocolate
- Massage your hands/arms or wherever you want to harm
- Stroke a pet/hug a teddy
- Paint your nails/do your hair
- Make yourself a cup of tea
- Watch TV/a movie/read a book you enjoy to distract yourself
- Do some yoga/meditation
- Make a paper chain of the days its been since you last cut (add a new one every
day) or Keep a chart – add a star for each day you have not self-harmed

Have an 'emergency box' with whatever helps you cope. Get a box an put things like a rubber band, sweets/chocolates, pens, photos, music players, nail varnishes, body creams, face masks or anything else that comforts you. You can also write out this list and put it in there. Keep this box in a place you can get to easily so that any time you want to self harm, open it and you can find things to help you.

But remember, relapses are part of recovery. If you do harm again, don't feel bad, just remember all the things you have accomplished. Even if you are just one day clean you accomplished something and should be proud.

And, try see your GP and get professional help. Hope this helps and good luck.

It is a symptom of depression. Tell a dr. how you feel. There are good meds for anxiety, stress and Depression. It means your brain is not producing sufficient serotonin. Depression is common but easy to treat. So tell a dr. how you feel and ask for an antidepressant.-------

The one that worked best for me was Sertraline. It takes 2-3 wks for your body to adjust to it during which time you will have trouble staying asleep. But, after that, you will become a relaxed, confident, healthy person.------------------------

Unfortunately I have those thoughts a lot. What is best is to tell someone near to you. Explain to them, the situation and just talk. Talking will help you feel better and based on your conversations your friend can tell you whether its best for you to go to the hospital and be placed in a program, or just to a doctor who will tell you to take certain meds and see a therapist