[skittles]

i went to my counselor today and he wants me to try ususing a marker when i want to cut instead of cutting myself with a knie.. not sure how thats gonna help me.. but i told him i would try.... sounds kinda silly to me

[(JD)]

((((skittles)))) I've heard it's worked for others... please stay safe a marker sounds pretty safe to me.

[lenjan]

Skittles, thanks to you I just remembered something I didn't think I still remembered!

When I was a little kid, we lived across a very small creek (so small it was jumpable from one side to the other) and around a fence from my elementary school. My mom was a stay at home mom (till I was in 5th grade), and so since we lived so close I would go home for lunch every day.

Even as a 6 or 7 year old, my mother never took me seriously -- one day I told her my knee hurt, and she yelled at me for faking it so I didn't have to go back to school in the afternoon, and I said my knee hurt, so she got all pissed off and called the doctor and took me in. The doctor looked at my knee and promptly admitted me to the hospital. HA! Showed HER.

Anyway, sometimes to get her attention, I would draw on myself with red crayon to make it look like blood, just to get her to ask what I did to myself and get her to pay attention to me.

I have never before correlated that with my then-future cutting, but maybe it really did start that early.

In any event, over the years several mental health types have suggested the same thing to me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I find a lot more help in cutting a piece of 8x11 paper into itsy-bitsy little shreds. You can take out your emotions on the paper instead of on yourself and it takes care of the anger, too.

Good luck.

Candy

[Beautiful_Pain]

I know it has worked for others when their urges are strong. That is one that never helped me though. You may want to ask him next time for other options, especially if this one doesn't work. GL with the marker, I hope it helps =)

it works for me sometimes. I was surprised that it did too. suggestion make sure the markers are water colored base not ink based. I made that mistake once. LOL

[pegasus]

I have heard of that before. I find pruning Roses really good. There is something really satisfying about cutting a plant right down and then watching the new shoots grow. I ended up with hardly any plants left in the garden last year!

[Overcastbutclearing]

Skittles...I have used that way of coping when wanting to cut in the past. Also have used a rubberband around my wrist and when I want to cut I pull hard on it and have it snap back. So, maybe that is another coping tool you can try out.
Main thing is to find something that works for YOU and to limit your cutting so you are staying safe.
I care about you!