{{{{{{{{{{{Candy}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Just a hug and thanks for sharing your story. I don't know when it stops being the first thing you think of, because I have not gotten to that point. Maybe when you have firmly established another coping method? But thinking about cutting isn't a terrible thing. You don't have to act on those thoughts, and when those thoughts appear you can replace them with something else. My T told me to think of a hymn instead when I'm thinking about hurting myself. Anything with a positive message to you would be good.

<font color=orange>"If we are going to insist that people pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, we must ensure that they have boots."</font color=orange>