Why do I get urges after bein clean for a really long time?

I used to self-harm, when I got depressed and when I finally was 'clean' for about 4 months, I broke a glass and cut my finger. My head went full on mess and chaos and got my blade and cut again, for about 3 weeks when I got myself to stop again.

addiction is the most common cause , the body is used to addiction for a so long time and after a long time even afater looking at alcohol or looking at substances that trigger the memory brings back the old addictive days.

it can be because of a slight addiction type thing, harming yourself can become a normal thing for you to do as a relief from whatever is going on. Stopping it can mean that you begin feeling urges for that relief, in which case these urges will subside as you progress and your body realises it is not needed.

If you experience a stressful or vulnerable situation you think of things that helped you cope with it in the past. So it happens that you get the urges to hurt yourself again even if your clean for a really long time.

Addiction is an awful thing! It is an illness, but feeling like your going threw it alone makes you relapse.. Their or plenty of groups for drugs and alcohol or any substance.. Having friends around you who you meet at these groups help and support each other! And even better it is all anonymous and people have been known to get clean eventually if they keep coming back and take one day at a time!!xxx

Habits that last years will not go away so easily they can always come up to get you but congrats on staying clean! Good luck!

That was probably the best way for you to cope and your mind wants to o back to the easy way. Instead of working through the hard stuff

Because you're not used to seeing your skin clean or because you are addicted to doing something to yourself to numb the pain. I know it may seem hard to keep yourself clean, but I believe in you!

I personally think its because you miss the calm. Or that's what happens with me. I miss how it makes me feel. Like missing your ex cause you had some good times. I think its the same kind of thing. You miss it because it made you feel better

Occasionally when we have been clean for such a long time our brains will miss that one thing we used to have so often and suddenly stopped having it. Perhaps it's a smell or a sound that triggers these thoughts; or a line in a song or movie where they're using the thing you are clean from. It's almost like nostalgia. We suddenly remember the exact feeling this particular thing made us feel and reminisce and start to miss it. It's normal to get urges, but it's important not to act on them and keep on going with your recovery.