[hereiam]

I was just wondering...how often does everyone SI? I don't do it every day or every week. By that I mean that sometimes it's months between, other times its days, sometimes it can be weeks but I know for sure it's not every day like some peoples. Do you think that the amount of times you do it correlates to the severity of your problems? I mean, sometimes I think that I don't need help with what I do just cause I don't do it as often as I know others do. Is that weird or wrong?

[kax25]

I used to do it everyday,but i ive been able to go for a week now. I dont think it is weird or wrong that you dont think you need help. I used to be the same way.I dont get help either and sometime i wish i did but other times im happy i dont get it. I think it depends on how you're feeling on that day.atleast thats how it is for me.
im not sure if i answerd your question at all but i hope i helped you in some way.

max

[ickydog2006]

!!!! TRIGGER!!!!!
I usually do it everyday, unless my meds situation is screwed up and I don't trust myself. I am seeing a T and right now I don't want help cause I don't want to quit. I have seen my friends get more severe in doing it and seen how I just seem to get worse and worse about it. A lot of times I worry that eventually my friend, and I will die because of this habit. I know my problem is getting worse, and I wish I would've got help when I first started. Sometimes I can't even get myself to leave the house without cutting; it scares me that I let it get this out of control. The longest I've managed to go without is nine days and I almost ended up dieing because when I broke down and gave in I went to far. Whenever I think of quitting I remember that time and it scares me now to cut and to not cut. I don't know what to do anymore. I wish I answered your question and truthfully have forgotten what I was starting to say in the first place. Good Luck

[nightowl2]

I used to do it every day. Then I was able to stop. Then started back about 3 years ago, once every couple of months, now I am back to everyday, sometimes more than once a day.

[HALLIEBETH87]

at one time i would do it off and on all day...every day. for a while i kept count of how many times i had done it in total, then i stopped counting. my last total was likw 1,000 or somethin close to that. take care

[hereiam]

Yes but what I'm asking is - is the amount of time it is done in direct correlation with the severity of a (or the) problem? If someone does it once a month versus someone who does it everyday, would (for an example) a therapist take someone who does it everyday more seriously than the person who does it once a month? Or would they think something alone the lines of "Oh, once a month? Meh, she's doing it for attention. Now this girl, everyday, we need to get her some help..."

Do you see what I'm sayin?

[HALLIEBETH87]

my Ts always took it more seriously if i was doing it more often than i used to. for instance if i did it everyday they were more concerned than if i did it once a month.

[(JD)]

IMO that anyone feels the need to do this (in any fashion, piercings, tatoos, etc) is the main concern for a T. Even once is rather important, if you ask me.

I'm also more concerned about the idea of wanting to know how often others cope this way... while I think I can understand the curiousity factor, is there more to it for such an... addiction... coping mechanism like this?

TC of yourselves is the main thing though.

[Rapunzel]

It's hard for me to imagine that a T would think someone who SIs less frequently doesn't need help, and make comparisons to someone who does it more often. I think if you're using this coping mechanism you still have work to do. But SI isn't the main thing to consider. It's just one symptom, and there are underlying reasons why we do that. It's the underlying problems that we have to deal with, and that matters a lot more than our pattern with SI.

I do think that changes in the pattern can be a sign that should be taken note of, however, everybody is different. In my case, there have been times when I did some form of SI several times per week or even daily, but it would be pretty minor, and then sometimes I would stop for a while - maybe several weeks or even months - but then when I did it again it would be significant. When I was really severely depressed I usually didn't SI because (1) I was afraid I would do too much, and (2) SI does make me feel more in control, and more calm, etc., and when I was really depressed I felt like being out of control, and just letting myself spiral downward, so I didn't do anything that would interfere with those feelings. For me, there is more cause for concern when I'm depressed and not SIing. That was when I had suicidal ideation going on and was being careful not to let anyone know about it or draw attention to myself. So, the pattern can be significant, but it's going to be different from one person to another. With most people it would seem more likely that less SI = doing better, but that just isn't necessarily the case.

[hereiam]

Rapunzel - I can understand that, because once when I was going through a terrible time and got depressed I didn't cut at all. But then when it was over, and I was feeling better, suddenly it popped into my head. Not sure what that was all about.

Sky - The main reason I was wondering is because while I no longer go to a T, I constantly wonder if I had told her what her reaction would have been. I can go months without doing it, I can pretty much control it, and never do I do it so deep as to constitute a hospital visit. With all this in mind, I wonder if she would take me as seriously as someone who had no control over it, felt as if it were an addiction, and used it to cope with any type of feeling. Just curiosity, I suppose.

Thanks for everyones replies.

[LostandLonleySoul]

I used to do it everyday. Now i do it every once in a while. I don't think that i have a problem and that i can take care of myself and stuff.