How can you stop the urge to cut?

Think about it. Think about how valuable you are. Think about your life. Think about your younger self- little kid. Imagine that kid, could you cut him/her/them? Could you do that to them? You are that kid, just bigger. Does that kid deserve it? No? Neither do you.

There are different ways to stop urges for cutting. Some may not work for everyone so it's important to try different ones. Distracting yourself with something you enjoy is a really effective one. You can draw, write, listen to music, play video games, or whatever you like. This engages your mind, and maybe it may even help you forget about your urges completely! Another trick is to set a timer for one minute, and if you can go through that one minute without cutting, keep encouraging yourself with positive thoughts and keep adding on minutes. Remember, you have the power to control your actions! Don't let your emotions control you! Keep trying and trying and research other ways to effectively stop urges, also check out the guide for Self Harm, it has other coping techniques that can help you out as well!

I love the way it feels in the moment, but I hate the scars in the long run and the way they affect how other people see me. I remind myself that I'm strong, and that the way I feel right now isn't how I'm always going to feel. Since I won't always feel the same way, I don't want marks on my body forever.

That can be very difficult, as I've been addicted to cutting. There are some distractions you could use, such as getting ice and pressing it where you would normally cute. It actually really hurts, but it doesn't do any damage. Another way is to use a rubber band or hair tie and put it around your wrist, every time you want to cut, flick it as hard as you want, that also hurts a little. Other ways can be distractions, do something you love like listening to music, reading, going out, tv and anything else you like to do or to keep yourself calm. You can also try writing down your thoughts and feelings/emotions, so you get it all out by writing down, instead of cutting. Good luck :)

There are many things you can do to satisfy the urge without cutting, you could snap a rubber band against where you usually would cut or draw lines in red pen where you usually would to satisfy the visual need. I have found it helpful to write the names of loved ones where i wanted to cut to show me i am loved and deter me from making that decision, good luck!

Everyone has their own way of trying to not succumb to it, so some ways don't always work for everyone. Here's a very helpful page on that subject! :) http://sirius-project.org/2011/08/16/distractions-and-alternatives-to-self-harm/#blood

There are many healthy ways to stop the urge to cut. One way is to draw on the area that you want to cut. You can draw doodles, or you can write the names of people you love.

Remove all sharp objects from a room in your house and replace it with markers, paint, pens, paper, journals and things like that. When you feel the need to cut journal about your feelings or draw on your arm. Creating something beautiful can bring about positive feelings within you.

You can stop the urge to cut by using distractions and goal setting methods such as SMART goals. SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Relevant, and Time. S. During this step, you will write down the specific goal. You will write down the who, what, and whys. Example: I will do _____ as a distraction from self-harm. M. During this step you will figure out a way to measure your success. Examples: journal, list, etc. A. During this step, you will ask yourself if your goal is attainable. R. During this step, you will ask yourself how this is relevant to you and your current situation. T. During this step you will write down your specific time frame. I will complete this goal at 5pm January 2nd, 2015. You can also try using distractions to help you distract yourself. You could try meditation, yoga, listening to and playing music, reading, writing, sports, etc.

It definitely varies from person to person. Some things that can work are figuring out what exact thoughts trigger the urge to cut and working from there, distracting yourself, talking to someone about the urge to cut when you feel it, drawing on yourself or rubbing an ice cube on your skin when you feel the need to cut, and getting the energy out in other ways that aren't as harmful.