Reasons Not To

it just makes the pain worse

it has been 2 years since i last cut...i have many reasons why it would be completely self destructive and selfish to resume this behavior... i forgot that i wrote this... and am hoping that i can hang onto the truth i had found here...lyn

how do people stop it i have been doing it for nearly a year now and been sectioned already.

I hadn't cut in a REALLY long time, I was doing well but then all of a sudden I couldn't help it. I know I'm better than that, and I don't need to though.

None of us do.
Just always remember that. ;-)

For me, one reason not to self-injure is that my life, all of our lives, are valuable! Life is worth living, even when I feel that it is not. Feelings are temporary, and I can choose to live and choose to change the way I perceive life. I do have a purpose, and I want to fulfill that purpose and give back to those who have stuck with me through the hard times - not reward them with self-injury or abandonment. To do so is to do the very thing I most fear that my loved ones will do to me. I want to love and shine light into the lives of others rather than the darkness I have fought for so long. I want to be a conqueror over the bondage to self-injury!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement on this forum!

BAPearl

IT doesnt help you... in the long run it only hurts you, it keeps you from coping in a healthy way that doesnt hurt you and will actully help you a lot more and permenently.

because I want to let my scars heal and be able to show people my clean arm.

I don't self-injure so that my friends don't see, and so that it doesn't hurt my mother. I have a friend that wants me to stop self-injuring for myself.

Good reasons not to is that, as I've read on this thread before: It doesn't really solve the problem. It may seem to help the emotional pain, however when the distraction from the physical pain goes away, the emotional pain comes back because it was only ignored. Then the emotional pain is now added to depending on how the person feels afterwards about SI.

I don't because I'm in love with someone who had a sui attempt and remembering him deters me from SI every day.

I don't anymore because SI is not a part of my identity, it's not who I am.

I own it now, and I won't let it control me.

thanx for this...

thanx for this too...

What I have to *** has mostly been posted already.
Though I will say this.

It's frustrating when you pick open a wound, and it's bleeding, and you're stuck in school without any way to stop it or cover it up. Can't lick the blood off, people'd see that. Can't throw my sleeve over it, my mom would see the stain on my shirt. Can't walk over and get a tissue to mop it up a bit, becuase you can't cover it with your sleeve while you're going to get the tissue!

Plus, you go through band-aids like they're going out of style.

And now that my mom caught a glimpse of them (though she clearly doesn't give a... ._. you know...) I feel ashamed every time I'm around her. And afraid. Wondering if she's just going to bring it up, and hoping she doesn't. And I know it hurt her, even if she won't show it.

I feel ashamed whenever I'm around anyone. Like "I'm doing something, and you'd be upset if you knew what it was". It's really like a dirty secret. Skeleton in your closet. Something that you're ALWAYS working to keep hidden, so that more people aren't let in on it.

It doesn't solve the problem. It's just like drugs and alcohol. You do it and while you think it's helping, it's slowly making you worse.

Hey there everyone ...

Just thought that the following image may provide some touch of comfort to the members of Psych Central who may self injure or feel the compulsion to do so.

Thank you.

Stay well and do the best that you can with what you have.

Peace,

-vertebrae-

1) Because if I start I won't stop
2) Because I've gone this long without starting
3) Because I don't want my boyfriend to see the scars
4) Because it doesn't help at all
5) Because I don't want to add another problem on top of everything else
6) Because I still love my body and I don't want to change that
7) Because nothing gets solved
8) Because it won't ease my fears
9) Because I won't look sexy
10) Because it just fuels the stress
11) Because it would undo everything I've accomplished thus far
12) Because it will make me even more depressed
13) Because I will regret it
14) Because I will hate myself for it
15) Because it's unhealthy
16) Because it's painful
17) Because it's harmful
18) Because I can choose not to
19) Because I care about myself too much
20) Because I care about my friends and family too much
21) Because it's risky to my health
22) Because I am capable of resisting the urge
23) Because I've worked too hard to give up
24) Because I want my body to remain unblemished
25) Because I don't want to be ashamed of any scars

I've been feeling the need to SI for a while tonight. I'm sure most of these are already posted, or are essentially rewordings of ones already posted, but writing them helped me to settle down right now. Oh yeah, for context I have a number of scars from past surgeries, from which I've taken pride in having the courage to go through. #25 was posted because if I scarred myself, they would diminish the value of my other scars.

because how do you explain them (the scars) to your children
Because you will never wear a wedding gown with scars (its just not chic)
Because you will wear long sleeves through every long hot summer

I self harm but my mum knows I self harm. She tells me the cuts are disgusting. Apparently I shouldn't self harm because I won't be able to show my skin. I sometimes hide my scars by wearing jumpers. Self harming is an addiction and there is a risk of hitting a vein or artery. There's also a risk of going to hospital. My mum told me, if I keep cutting I'll end up in hospital. I used to not do much harm to my skin when I first started but now I just cut myself deeper and bleed but it stops after. I better be careful. So, there's some of the reasons not to self harm.

This is a great thread. Reding this makes me think of all the good reason not to SH and I'm really thankful for it.
I think I agree with all these reasons! Thankss

I hate seeing the disappointment in my husband when he sees a new mark.

I do not want to hate myself more and it makes it harder to move on. We all have a lot going on for us not to do it anymore.

Seeing the pain and disappointment in my husbands face and hearing it in his voice when he finds out. That leads to me feeling even more guilty, and thus makes me want to injure to try to make that guilt go away.....and then I am back at the beginning.

Because even though I didn't cut for months, once I restart, I can't ever stop.
Because that hate towards myself that made me cut rubbed off on to my partner and made him hate me.
Because when the kids I babysit see the blood on my clothes, they get scared.
Because I can't afford anymore hospitalizations.
Because I know I can go without self injuring.

For me my main reasons not to are
1) My family. Im letting them all down. My little brother saw my scars and burst out crying because he knew exactly what they were from. I made my mom cry. My dad just pretends like he has no idea whats going on so he doesnt have to accept that theres something going on with me.
2) Hospitalization.
3) Accidental Death
4) If you have self esteem issues to begin with the scars make then 1000 times worse
5) Lying to keep your secret safe
6) It doesnt solve anything
7) Its addicting

Because your body is beautiful, no matter your size, features etc.

Because you wouldn't cut your best friend.

Because your problems/stress will deminish and you just need to hang on!

Because the more you say no to self harm, the sooner you will be over it for good

Because it's hard to hide the cuts and harder to lie about them.
You will have the scars forever.
You can accidentally take it way too far and end up dead or in the hospital.
It makes you feel terrible.
It hurts others.

And STILL I want to do it.