That’s amazing, keep it up! I’ve never had any experience with that. What made you do it (the self-harming I mean), if it’s not too much to ask?
Hello, please can you tell more about active breathing technique? Can it be done at home? I’m trying to lessen my self-harming, but my mental illness is stronger than me. I'm talking about stuff like hitting my knee until I can't stand anymore or scraping my knuckles against the wall until they’re bleeding… Everyone’s talking about copying mechanisms or replacing with healthier ones, but I can’t find one that always works...
@paramount_Damika No problem, it’s okay. I think the primary reason for why I started self-harming was my self-hatred. It was related to my problems at college and at home. At first I self-harmed only once in a few months, later there appeared a pattern where I’d feel the urge to do something every month, usually a week or so before my periods. Those were the days I’d feel at my lowest, being really disinterested in everything, lashing at everyone around me, then hating myself for it even more, and feeling like all these shitty feelings won't end. Mind you, I never cut myself, like some other girls do, I only had the guts to scratch myself to the point of bleeding. When my mother brought me to therapy, the first thing we started to work with was my self-esteem and self-worth. I could look at my scars on the arms, and they made me cry... I was prescribed three different medications at once, and we continued with the sessions where I was shown some grounding techniques. It all built up over months, and the moment I stopped hating myself, I was able to stop harming myself. That’s kind of it :)
@tyler Hi, so, it’s a basic breathing exercise that you can definitely do at home. It’d say you can’t do it anywhere else :) I sit on my bed and breathe very slowly with closed eyes, while hugging myself and rocking back and forth. It looks scary, but the active moving part is important, and the hugging keeps my hands busy. It also touches some psychological part, my therapist explained it in a lot of words, I think it’s about something subconscious... It works, and I am sticking with it until I feel like I'm stable enough to handle my emotional moments in less weird ways. I wish you to find what works for you, and I advise you to count the exact date of how long you were able to stay clean. It has a huge psychological effect. Good luck, you can do it!
Congratulations! You’re a very strong person, and it’s always a big deal when it comes to major victories over yourself! 😉 This addiction is linked to mental health problems, so it’s absolutely right to battle with your depression. As for your deteriorating condition before periods, there’s actually a thing called PMDD or Pre Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Look into it and, if it fits your symptoms, you can ask your gynecologist for some extra help.
Well done! Do you think you’ve gotten rid of that addiction for good? Also, if you ever do relapse, you won’t be starting from square one, you proved to yourself that you can do it, and all your achievements count. But I’m sure you won’t, just a reminder to always be kind to yourself and give yourself credit for all your progress. Here's to many more such months!
@that m8 Yes, I know all about PMS and PMDD. I’m aware that it's my hormones throwing my emotional stability out the window. I was prescribed progesterone pills, but I’m afraid of hormonal therapy, and my mother supports me in that. So I stock up on dark chocolate prior to my days, and I start taking high doses of magnesium to help my brain calm down.
@Breanne Thank you! I’d be lying if I said the thoughts of self-harming never loom in the back of my mind. Particularly when I’m going through tough times in college, the urge becomes almost irresistible, but it gets a little easier each time I overcome it. I’ll try my best not to return to it again :)
You deserve it, keep telling yourself that! 4 months will be 12 in a blink of an eye. You’ll be able to look back, and you won’t recognize the person you once were, because of how much better and happier you’ll be by that time. You made it this far, and you will take it further!
Understanding what triggers you and underlying process of your mental condition is the first step to the recovery. now when you are able to share with others shows that how strongly you are coping with the problem and giving a message to others who are going through the same issue to be strong and determined like you. pat on your back because you are doing wonderfully in this process of recovery. celebrate how far you have come. you are warrior for fighting your own battles and not giving up on yourself.
Continue to do what you are doing. stay focussed on your goal, meditate and do continue with your treatment as with right guidance you can recover completely.