I know the theory about cutting that's it supposed to alleviate major psychological pain and part of me Would like to try it. But im scared or leaving physical marks. For mu line of work I have to look good. I'm not sure if there's anyway I could hide it. So instead I drink. And that damage is Internal. I know it's not great for me either bit I do understand that you e gotta do something to allievate the pain. what would be a better.

[MDDBPDPTSD]

I encourage you to widen your focus a bit. There are more options to deal with the pain other than alcohol or cutting.

You can try doing a google.com search for DBT Distress Tolerance. That should give you a healthier place to start.

I wish you well.

This was a good resource that helped a bit:
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/self_injury.htm

@Girl_interrupted That's just rude. It's a perfectly valid question. I don't go around requesting your posts be deleted (but I might now!). If you don't like me asking questions, don't read them or put me on your block list so you don't have to see anything I write.

[Trippin2.0]

LIDC, SI, is a highly sensitive and therefore triggering topic. I can understand why GI reacted the way she did. Many of us bpd'ers struggle with SI, and stopping in particular, and I can't speak for others, but it was definitly not a logically thought out decision to do so. So the fact that you would post that you are concidering it, but won't go thru with it bcoz of work IS insensitive. It's not like you would post a topic about wanting to become an addict in the addictions forum, so all in all, just a little concideration for those who actually suffer with this problem. Thank you and take care.

I guess I can see it would be insensitive if I were making fun of it or something. But I wasn't doing that. I was saying I heard that physical pain can help release some of the emotional pain. I guess I'm just not clear about which part was insensitive? The fact that I'm in emotional pain? The fact that I was actually considering cutting as a way to cope with it? I imagine everyone here is also in a lot of emotional pain. Why attack each other for that? Why not be kind to each other? Couldn't we all use a little bit of kindness each day? Aren't our lives hard enough? Be compassionate. I have a really really ****** day coming up and I have to try to get through it with grace and resilence. I try to be helpful and supportive to everyone I meet here. I wish others would treat me the same way. It really helps. It really hurts to be attacked and called insensitive.

I see her post is gone now. Maybe she deleted it?

[Trippin2.0]

I didn't mean to attack you, honest I was just trying to let you see where she and others might be coming from... But I can't explain it to you any better than I tried above with the addictions example.

Thanks. I understand. I didn't mean I felt attacked by you. I felt attacked by her. No big deal I guess. Live and learn.

[Trippin2.0]

Hope your "really ****** day coming up" isn't really ****** at all.XOXO keep posting, so we can know how you are doing and try to help in anyway we can.

And I do feel bad if my post caused her emotional pain. I'm sorry for that. I figure we're all in so much pain how could anyone want to add to it? So I feel bad about that.

Now that I know what the trigger warning is I think I'll just it it on all my posts from now on.

[doglover5]

LostinDC, there are two scientific reasons cutting does alleviate emotional pain. 1) The neurotransmitters released in your brain when physical pain (aka: cutting) occurs cause you to feel "better" and/or "relieved" etc. almost immediately; thus creating its highly addictive quality. (similar to the "runner's high" effect) 2) The brain can only process & respond to one type of pain (ie physical vs emotional) at a time; thus why a 'new' physical pain stimulus would over-ride/numb existing emotional pain.

I learned this info through obtaining my degree, and began cutting almost immediately- you know that saying "curiously killed the cat"?
Anyway, like Trippin, I strongly encourage you to look for other coping strategies that work for you BEFORE beginning this one. Its indeed much like a cheap addictive drug; hard to quit no matter how much desire you have to do so.
Take care

Thanks for that response. It makes a lot of sense. Mixing pills and alcohol does the same thing and that's what I've been doing so far. I'm not saying I'm going to try it and I'm not saying I'm not trying to do other more healthy things to get better (like trying the DBT) but in the end, when it's really, really bad, is it really worse for me to cut myself or to commit suicide?

[athena2011]

LIDC, I can certainly understand your temptation and your logic. It would seem on the surface that IF you could cut safely (depends on whether you find yourself having to go progessively deeper to get the same relief over time) and IF you could keep it hidden (doubtful), then it would be safer than having to potentially deal with liver damage. But the big problem is when others inevitably find out. They will freak. They will think you're completely nuts. Having the cops called on you, your kids taken away (if you have any), getting thrown in the hospital against your will- all are very real possibilities if you get found out (I've personally experienced all of these). And potentially living with a stigma for a very long time. Losing family and friends over it. So NOT worth it. It seems insane that people consider liver damage far more socially acceptable but hey, I don't get to make up what society considers acceptable. Unfortunately my drinking has gone up since I stopped cutting so I understand the unfortunate trap of simply making an alternative unhealthy choice. But as others have said here, there are healthier choices. Somebody made reference to the 'runners' high. VERY effective for me. It got me through a forty year depression. And it's fast acting and can be done at anytime of the day (or night if you're really desperate...been there done that...and it helped - just be careful). It only stopped losing some of its effect after multiple crises hit me all at once in the past four years.

So my suggestion on the cutting...just don't go there.

I wish you well.

[Girl_Interrupted]

I'm gonna continue to post on this thread, until there is a trigger warning.

Are the mods dumb, or just plain stupid?

And I've been told in a message that there is a trigger warning on this. Urgghhh, WHERE?

@Girl_Interrupted Admittedly, I'm new here but I'm pretty sure that red dot with an X in it is a trigger warning. It even says "trig" when you hover the mouse over it. Assuming that it does not indicate that this is a post about Trigonometry then I see it as a trigger warning. I'm not sure why it's not showing up for you. I'm sorry this is so upsetting for you. Like I said before I know we're all here because we have a **** ton of emotional pain right now and we all should as much as possible not cause each other more. This thread isn't that important to me (and I already got a really good answer from aethena, so I would be okay with deleting the whole thread if it makes you feel better.

[Girl_Interrupted]

No I don't want you to delete the thread, as far as I know, trigger warnings means "trigger" in the thread title.

I just don't want someone to get upset like I did about it.

It's like putting on the ingredients list of a chocolate bar "may contain nuts", so you won't go and eat it if you don't want the risk.

I'd be glad to change the title but it doesn't seem to give me the option to do that. I can't edit the original post anymore.

[GypsyRosalie]

Girl_Interrupted, please go to the New Member Introductions forum (http://forums.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=40) and read the How to use the trigger icon Sticky thread (http://forums.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=185094)

It states that the icon next to the title of the thread is a trigger warning. It is not necessary to put "trigger warning" in the title of the post. This thread DOES have a trigger warning icon. If this is in any way confusing to you, here is an excerpt from the trigger icon thread:

"We would like to make our new members aware of the trigger icon. This icon (X) indicates that a post may contain triggering information. For the safety of our members, we ask that if you think anything you post might be triggering to another member you put this icon on your post/thread. "

I have added a trigger icon to this specific post for a general reference. I wish you well.

Shanna

I snap rubber bands on my wrist to help my urge with cutting. I wouldn't drink or cut anymore but I understand if you didn't take my advice. I use to drink a lot and gave myself alcohol poisoning six times. Luckily I threw everything up before it could kill me. Even tho I felt like **** for the rest of week...But yeah, try the rubber band. It helps me stop cutting and gives me the pain I want at the same time.

[fletch33]

There are about a million different coping techniques that are better than cutting or alcohol. I would look into DBT to teach you some coping skills.

[SoberNCrazy2012]

As a self mutilator, I would urge you to not start cutting. At first it may be fine but the cuts WILL get worse and it WILL leave scars. It becomes an addiction that will be harder to break than alcohol. I have been cutting for over 10 years and regret starting. Please find another resort.

[bpd2]

[quote=Anonymous32474;2345572]I guess I can see it would be insensitive if I were making fun of it or something. But I wasn't doing that. I was saying I heard that physical pain can help release some of the emotional pain.

So, maybe you could just try pain in some form or other, not "cutting". The odd thing, to me, is that you seemed to be "considering cutting." In my own experience, there was no "considering" about it. Cutting wasn't like that for me or for any of the cutters I have met. Cutting wasn't a "choice." It was suddenly happening. And then there was trying to stop it from happening and learning HOW to choose. So, you see from what I am writing, your question didn't seem like a question at all. I can't understand it as a question. I can't imagine ever having chosen cutting. I had to learn NOT to choose it.

[Girl_Interrupted]

This post is old.

[bpd2]

Originally Posted by Girl_Interrupted

This post is old.

Oops! Thanks, GI. Strange that it got activated again. I just went from the update that appeared in my email . . .

Originally Posted by Nikole2718

I snap rubber bands on my wrist to help my urge with cutting. I wouldn't drink or cut anymore but I understand if you didn't take my advice. I use to drink a lot and gave myself alcohol poisoning six times. Luckily I threw everything up before it could kill me. Even tho I felt like **** for the rest of week...But yeah, try the rubber band. It helps me stop cutting and gives me the pain I want at the same time.

Buy the hair bands with the metal edges and snap them against the BACK of the wrist (front can hit a nerve and cause damage over time). It hurts like h*ll and may cause a little bruising but no permanent marks or damage.