Hi Jayne!

Are you on any meds for depression? I thought like you when I first started cutting 4 years ago. I was in PA (physician assistant) school, so I knew how to avoid infections and how to not go to far so that I wouldn't seriously hurt myself. The problem with cutting is that the more you do it, you end up having to do it more and more and/or cut deeper etc in order to get the same effect. When I started, I only did minor things such as scratching, then it escalated to cutting and burning. A couple of times I actually needed stitches . Also, although the relief that cutting provides is immediate, the effects don't last long. I would encourage you to work on finding other coping skills to handle your emotions before the cutting gets out of control. I really wish I would have done that because then I wouldn't be here 4 years later really struggling to stop. For me it is not only a coping skill but also an addiction. I wish you the best. Feel free to post as much as you want. People here will listen and are very supportive.