Posts tagged self harm

(Source: letthelight-in)

I hope everyone had a positive day yesterday on self-harm awareness day. If you find yourself or someone you know struggling to stop cutting here are some simple tools for recovery:

Remove all hidden gauze, blades, razors, knives, etc anyplace you may have kept them. Tell on yourself if you have to and let your parent or close friend help you throw them away.

Put a rubber band on your wrist & snap it when you have the urge to cut yourself. It does not release the same addictive endorphins (and so it will help break the addictive cycle) but it does fulfill the similar sharp pain sensation cutters crave.

Distract yourself until the urge passes. It will pass!

Call a friend or anyone and talk about something completely different to distract your mind.

Try something active to redirect the energy like running, swimming, sit ups, or jumping jacks.

Draw a picture, keep your hands busy & express what you’re feeling. Not an artist? That’s okay, I find free-flowing pen scribbles with intersecting lines, the most therapeutic artistic release.

If you’re religious or spiritual, pray for the urge to pass, for the strength to not act.

Listen to music, try & memorize/recite lyrics to your favorite songs.

Play with a pet.

Work through your triggers, write and talk about what you’re feeling.

Draw a butterfly on your arm or where ever you usually cut & consider it an embodiment of your freedom from the addiction of cutting & so long as you do not cut you will keep that butterfly alive.

Learn more about “the butterfly project” here: http://butterfly-project.tumblr.com/

For more information visit my website: www.markdworkin.com

A friend of mine just got off the phone with me and told me to go to this You Tube Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=TdkNn3Ei-Lg

The title is “What’s Going On,” and it is heartbreaking. It worth the 4 minutes of your time. If you are a parent like me, you’ll never want to see your child in the pain that this boy is in.

Not everyone is a “Barbie or Ken” doll (am I dating myself? Ask your parents if you don’t get the reference. This video has been seen by over 7,000,000 people.

The boy does not speak. He holds up index cards, and points to places he has cut. He’s also crying.

If you know any children who may be suffering like this boy, talk to their parents (if you are not the one yourself), and get help for your troubled child or teenager.

As a psychotherapist who treats many teenagers who cut, I can tell you that I was surprised how this video got to me. Fortunately my sons are in grad schools, and never had these problems. But too many of our youth are suffering, and either parents ignore or don’t know what to do about it.

Call your local mental health clinic; ask your child’s pediatrician for the names of some excellent child and teenage therapists. But for the love of God please don’t pretend or avoid.

The consequences could be deadly.

If you’d like to read more on these issues please go to www.markdworkin.com

Watch the video and write what you think about it.