5 Ways to STOP/PREVENT Self Harm

Ciao lovelies! As you all may know, I care very much about all of you and I never want any of you to be in pain, and I especially don’t want any of you to think your only option is to self-harm. So I decided to make a list of 5 things you can do instead of self-harm. Remember that every day clean is another victory!

As someone who used to self-harm, I can guarantee that these 5 things are effective in taking away the urge to hurt yourself. If you are feeling like hurting yourself or suicidal in any way I also urge you to seek help in a trusted adult like a parent, teacher, or counselor so that you can get proper help and get into recovery. If you’re already in recovery, first let me say I am so proud of you and I know how hard it is to come this far. I am so happy that you’re in recovery. Second, I know how hard it is to avoid relapsing while in self-harm recovery, and this list will definitely help you to not relapse.

#1- Ice Cubes

I know that sometimes the urge to self-harm comes from the feeling of emotional numbness caused by depression. But instead of cutting or hurting yourself in any way to feel something, try this trick.

Get an ice cube or something very cold from the freezer, and hold it until you feel something. Repeat if you need to.

 I know that many therapists will also say to snap a rubber band on your wrist, but I don’t recommend this as it can leave welts and can be just as addictive as self harm.

Along the lines of the ice cubes, try eating something very cold, like ice pops or ice cream. Your mouth is very sensitive, so you will definitely feel the cold.

#2- Red marker

Sometimes cutting/self-harming is a compulsion. To stop this, draw red lines on your arm with a soft tip marker wherever you’d normally hurt yourself. Repeat until you have satisfied the compulsion.

If you are worried about being judged, just wash off the red marks when you’re done (I recommend using a washable red Crayola marker because of this).

DO NOT USE A PEN! Pens are sharp! And can hurt you! DO NOT USE A PEN!!! USE A SOFT TIPPED MARKER!

 #3- Follow the HALT Checklist

Before hurting yourself, look at the HALT checklist. This checklist is designed to show you why you might be feeling badly. So HALT and see if you are-

H- Hungry?/Hydrated? Eat something small. If it’s a meal time, eat a meal. Try to eat something healthy with mood boosting properties, like a banana. Are you dehydrated? When was the last time you drank water? Take a few sips or drink half a bottle. 

A- Angry? Are you angry? Think of anything you might be angry about. Try ranting to yourself for a little while. Draw an angry picture in an angry color like red. 

L- Lonely? Are you Lonely? When was the last time you talked to someone? Call someone, go talk to a family member, even talk to a pet. Talk. Get some interaction. 

T- Tired? Are you tired? When was the last time you slept? Take a 30 minute nap if you’re not sure.

#4- Take a Walk

Sometimes you might be feeling restless, and mis-attribute it to sadness. I actually found that going on a brisk walk outside makes me feel a lot better, for some reason. I’m not sure why this works, but maybe it’s something to do with getting some vitamin D? It’s still nice, and makes me feel better.

#5- Destroy Something

Have a pile of things you can safely destroy, like old school papers you can rip apart. Sometimes the act of ripping paper to shreds can just cause so much relief and take away so much stress!

Please, make sure to take care of yourself. I don’t want any of you to ever feel the need to self-harm. Each and every one of you is beautiful, and deserves to live and be happy.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, please talk to a trusted adult.

See you all tomorrow! I love you all!