(((bt))) ...

I've always self injured ... I learned it early on and because of the years of abuse I endured, it's lasted a long, long time.

When I first started therapy, it exploded BIG TIME ... More than I ever remembered doing even when I was living in the abuse. My therapist didn't focus on it much either because she also realized that it was a coping mechanism I'd learned to numb myself from the horrid abuses I had endured as a child.

The good news is that after working on and through a lot of these unresolved issues the self injury lessened and lessened. My therapist and I talked openly about this and she told me that like many other maladaptive coping mechanisms I'd learned that it would never completely disappear, but it wouldn't be as bad as it used to be and I've found that to be true.

When I'm under a lot of stress I sometimes still pick and dig at myself, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was when I was living in the abuse or working my way through it in therapy.

My advice is to just be patient, gentle and kind with yourself. You came by it honestly and it has helped you survive some rather painful things and it will get better with time ... I promise.

,
Pfrog!