[Byrbs]

Hi, so, one of the main issues I have right now is that is seem to have a self harming alter. I have no connection with them, no idea who it is but I a finding bruises on a daily basis which is really crap. Anyone got any experience on now to deal with this? My T says we need to somehow make a contract with them to stop, but I don't know he to do this given I don't know who it is and can't connect. How do I connect? Given right now I don't have any knowledge of a y of them other than from my T. Thanks for any suggestions.

[kaliope]

I have co consciousness with my alters for the most part, though I don't know them all as my self destructive alter just came out under hypnosis a couple weeks ago. I was just answering a post to someone and she came out and answered it though I was aware she was doing it. they talk to me in my head. I communicate to them in a journal, mostly to the ones I know, but I have reached a new one that way that didn't come out in therapy. I write inviting them to talk to me and I hear them in my head and write out what I hear. it is like having a conversation with myself. so maybe if you journal to your self destructive part of yourself about how you want to keep yourself safe and what do you have to do to come to that agreement, that you don't have to punish yourself anymore. that the world today is about safety, love and compassion, reassure that part, it will hear and stop harming you. take care.

[Claritytoo]

I have a couple self harming parts. One in particular always suggested I hurt myself or kill myself, usually chosing a time when I was down about something. In therapy I learned that most if not all of my alters were created by me originally to help. So I changed my preception of him and asked him why he kept telling us to hurt our selves. I reminded him he was created to be a helper. He said he was helping. He really believed that suggesting that we drive into a bridge was helping. I explained to him that killing ourselves or injuring ourselvies is not how we want to address our fears and concerns. He understood, we were also not angry with him because he thought he was trying to help. He will still now and than shout out some harmeful suggestion but he knows that we don't want to deal with life that way. We acknowledge his suggestion and than remind him that we aren't going to do that. He gets it and the suggestions and thoughts subside.

[Shmooey]

The journal works well for me too. I don't have conversations in it, but I always have at least one journal going where people can write whatever they need. That's how I first found out that an alter had a suicide kit full of pills that were more than enough to do the trick. It can be very helpful.

I'm sorry you are dealing with bruises. Hopefully you can get some communication going soon to help stop it.