How do you talk about SI behavior?

I strongly agree, Carrie.

What do you think, Sylverflame?

I think I agree. It would be a step, and a hard one to make. I'm just really scared about what I'd do when I wanted to cut, but the option wasn't there. It's been my fall back method for so long... But at the same time by giving them to him, I am at least making a step in trying to stop. And if I really needed it, the fact that I would have to go through him to get them might make the urge go away. Or make me make fool of myself by begging him for the knives. So it could help, or hurt, and there is only one way to find out. I'm not sure if I'm ready to make that step yet though.

Do you have an alternative plan for when the stress comes? I find if I can plan other ways to cope with my triggers I can wait longer or even avoid it altogether. Stressers and triggers are a given, alternative coping strategies can be a life saver or at least a skin saver.

~D~

Don't force yourself into anything you aren't ready for, or you could make the problem worse. (*says this from experience* )

But at the same time, you don't have to be 100% convinced that you want to surrender your knives before you do it. Being mostly convinced has been enough in my experience at least.

Also, I echo dalila. It's a GREAT idea to come up with an alternative plan.

Best of luck to you! Keep posting and letting us all know how you're doing. We really do care, and really do want to know what happens with you, ok?

((((hugs))) <-- only if you want them

Angela

maybe it's more important to have friends that you can talk about what's going on in your life and share that stuff which is why you Si than to think you have to talk about SI'ing itself. if you had food allergies once you told them that then you would talk about the foods you can't eat not the gross stuff the allergies make you into. i think it's the same way. when we cut it's because we want to get away from emotional pain or we want to feel real. talking about the cutting doesn't do me any good. i want a life, let's talk about life and why i think it's so bad i cut. to talk about SI'ing itself just magnifies it all out of proportion. others just don't get it. ya know?

wow! yeah, good point!

What other plan do people use for coping? I mean, SI has always been the last thing I turn to, when nothing else has worked. Normally I call a friend, and ask them to do something (not telling them I'm freaking out, it's more a distraction thing) but people get busy, and that's when I turn to SI, cause then I also have the whole rejection thing.

I really do think I'm going to give him my knives though. Or at least make them go away somehow. And if I start turning to more dangerous ways to hurt myself, I'll ask for them back.

oh, and thanks for the hugs Angela, they are always welcome

That is a good point. and something I need to work on, fixing the disease, not the symptom.

Other plans for coping...

By the way you sound JUST like me. I used to talk to people as my ONLY way of coping, and it is still my favorite. But I have found some other ways that help me stop si. Lots of people on here have come up with great ideas. Here are some of the things that have helped me:

*Writing poetry. Sometimes I share it, sometimes I don't. But I write it.
*Writing REALLY HARD with a pen on a notebook surface. Ripping up pages by pressing my pen into them, to express my anger, especially writing mad words.
*Sometimes words don't help and I can't put my feelings into words. I imagine what my feelings or myself looks like inside, and I draw or paint it.
*Color in a coloring book (I know it sounds silly, but gosh it feels good!)
*Watching a movie
*Sleeping instead
*Beadwork or something else that requires very focused attention on detail. This is a really good one for me, because it doesn't require deep thought (I'm generally incapable of deep thought when I'm upset enough to si), but at the same time, it does require putting your mind elsewhere
*Ripping pictures or words out of a magazine and gluing them to paper to make a collage
*Going for a walk
*Reading posts and trying to help others on psychcentral (sometimes I have to avoid the si forum. You'll know inside yourself if you need to). Going to the "distractions" forum and reading all the jokes and checking out the websites people post. Check out internet traveler's lounge, too. Those gals and guys are hilarious!!

There are some ideas. Hope they help!!

((((((hugs)))))))

Angela

p.s. I'm also a college student, so I DEFINITELY know how lonely that can be.

((((more hugs))))

Angela