It took me around two years of no cutting before I got rid of my blades that I kept in my purse. And about 5 years before I was willing to let go of my safety pin. Even at my friends house I knew if I threw them away I'd resort to digging through the trash to get them back. When I was finally determined to give them up, I gave them to someone who I hurt by cutting and told them I was sorry for scaring them and breaking my promise. Then I gave him my film container with my two blades and told them I knew that I couldn't throw them away myself and asked for him to take them and throw them in a trashcan that I didn't know about.