05/11/2024
Self-harm is a subject that really needs to be talked about more openly. This blog from Mind starts a useful conversation.
“There are so many reasons that I, along with many others, self-harm. Doing it as a means of control is a common reason, which is ironic as for many of us, it then becomes uncontrollable. For me, after a while, it got past the point where it was a choice and more something I ‘had’ to do.
”But learning to manage urges, sit with feelings of upset, hurt or anger and ‘ride the wave’ was a big thing in recovery for me. Distraction techniques such as having a cold shower is a common way that people refocus their attention. This method is a useful way of physically and mentally overcoming the urges.
”But if this doesn’t work for you, don’t despair. It doesn’t mean there is no hope. Sitting with urges and the bad feelings, and I mean literally just sitting, whether on the floor, on a chair or wherever, can be a powerful way of overcoming them.
”I genuinely felt a massive sense of achievement for just riding out the urge. The fact I could overcome something that felt so strong, almost physically dragging me towards self-harming, made me realise the power I could have over my life and the control I could gain from not self-harming.”
Read Alison’s full blog ➡ https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/learning-to-break-the-self-harm-cycle/