i am very tempted to start cutting again, can anyone help?

I'm one to say I've been in your shoes. I still cut myself and im addicted just like im addicted to angle dust. and every minute i look and my arm and there i see new cuts i have 24 on my arms and i have 5 slits on my hip. Im not strong enough to stop, but you have managed to stop for 10dam years.... dont start again. if your looking for pain go to a wall and do the inadvisable chair exercise. If that doesn't work and your still stressed push on a wall. And of chores try the stupid rubber band thing, it you ask me it don't work.

hope you can stop

I used to cut, for over 10 years. I had borderline personality disorder and most people with that cut. Look up the following link, it might help you to understand yourself better. I could be wrong, I don't know, everyone is different. Every time I cut, I needed at least 50 stitches, I counted. I was VERY extreme when I hurt myself, clearly. I cut because I thought people treated me unfairly and that I didn't deserve it and got so angry with them so I cut to "feel better." Maybe you feel the same way, I don't know. I did NOT cut for suicidal reasons although I did make many gestures. What stopped me from hurting myself was when I woke up from a coma after a week (I overdosed on psych meds). The doc thought I'd be a "vegetable" for the rest of my life and told my parents to "find a nice nursing home" for me cuz I wouldn't come out of it, but amazingly I did.

I'm telling you this because now, at age 48 i do not cut or hurt myself. I can't say that I don't think about doing it from time to time, but I can't cuz I will hurt others. I see that now. I quit that probably about 15 years ago because I put my folks and my sister through hell and found that I didn't need to cut to feel better. I can now take care of myself in other ways and I found some soothing things that I could do to feel better, rather than hurting myself. I'm trying to make up for all I did back then but no one will ever get over my antics. My sister died last year at the age of 49 (cancer) so I can't "make up" for my behavior. I can never tell her how sorry I am for what I put HER though as well, I tell myself now that it ISN'T AN OPTION to hurt myself as I don't think my folks could handle it. It just isn't an option! And it's not fair to those who love and care about you.

I hope that you don't cut or hurt yourself. You can beat this thing. Stress can bring this on BIG TIME! Find something that makes you happy and DO IT. Force yourself if you have to. Talk with your friends and family who care about you. That's how it was for me. I do understand what you are going though. I clearly have been there.

Congrat's for not cutting for so long. I know it's *VERY* hard and that you might think that no one understands you, but I do. You WILL be okay but only if you WANT to be...Get rid of the knives. I know, you can always get more of them if you really want to cut. It is my hope that you can get past this, after all you stopped for 10 years and that's truly amazing. Counseling might help you...it sure helped me.

Good luck to you, my friend! :-)

I have the same problem. I can't get it out of my head until I do it. If I don't do it. I will pull my hair scratch, and bite myself. I've been trying to stop. What i do I walk around the block or I take my dog for a walk. I write in a journal. I try talking to my friends when I feel like that.

you have to find another outlet to make yourself feel 'better' and take your mind off cutting. something like exercise, art, swimming, even listening to music. i cut for a few years and i stopped doing it by getting a gym membership - instead of cutting i go to the gym and run for as long as i can. i still feel that physical pain (well..exhaustion) that takes your mind off the emotional pain, but its actually good for my body..whereas cutting is not. but i know a lot of people hate exercise...if its not your thing maybe you could take up art or something. i find it really helpful to get a pencil and an ipod when i'm not feeling my best and just draw for hours and hours. it will definitely take your mind off cutting

also i have heard therapists reccommend wearing an elastic band around your wrist..you snap it whenever you want to cut.

Your gonna have to help yourself

Depression is tough, your best bet is to see a General Practitioner

Talks bout it at ****, they can refer you to a Clinic Psychologist which may help and sort out your problems

Otherwise anti-depressants might be worth looking into.

Talk to a good friend or family member too that cna always help.

Hope I helped.

Learn to play an instrument. Anything to keep you busy from thinking from those kind of thoughts. I've been there before, it's not a good feeling to go through. Try to hangout with friends, or what I said before and try to distract yourself.

hearing my freinds play the piano makes me happy.

i play tennis to get my depression out and i enjoy it at the same time second year in tennis and in hs too.

please do your self a favor and don't drag your self down the drain again it'll be hard to pull you out.

its hard.....its an addiction.

think about it.......if u start.....its going to cause other people around u pain.....plus its going to be REALLY hard to stop again. please try not to start again. =[ i struggle with it everyday....but not having scars is worth it