Other plans for coping...

By the way you sound JUST like me. I used to talk to people as my ONLY way of coping, and it is still my favorite. But I have found some other ways that help me stop si. Lots of people on here have come up with great ideas. Here are some of the things that have helped me:

*Writing poetry. Sometimes I share it, sometimes I don't. But I write it.
*Writing REALLY HARD with a pen on a notebook surface. Ripping up pages by pressing my pen into them, to express my anger, especially writing mad words.
*Sometimes words don't help and I can't put my feelings into words. I imagine what my feelings or myself looks like inside, and I draw or paint it.
*Color in a coloring book (I know it sounds silly, but gosh it feels good!)
*Watching a movie
*Sleeping instead
*Beadwork or something else that requires very focused attention on detail. This is a really good one for me, because it doesn't require deep thought (I'm generally incapable of deep thought when I'm upset enough to si), but at the same time, it does require putting your mind elsewhere
*Ripping pictures or words out of a magazine and gluing them to paper to make a collage
*Going for a walk
*Reading posts and trying to help others on psychcentral (sometimes I have to avoid the si forum. You'll know inside yourself if you need to). Going to the "distractions" forum and reading all the jokes and checking out the websites people post. Check out internet traveler's lounge, too. Those gals and guys are hilarious!!

There are some ideas. Hope they help!!

((((((hugs)))))))

Angela