I’ve read the alternatives such as drawing with a red pen or snapping your skin with a rubber band. Yet I don’t want to injure to see it or because I want the sensation of pain. I injure for other reasons. Any ideas on other things I could do in order to achieve this?
There are a number of things you can do, check out our book Bodily Harm, find a therapist that you can work with, carry an impulse control log and fill it out. S.A.F.E. Alternatives does not support the use of “rubber bands” etc as a suitable substitute for S.I……If you need more information call 800-dont cut (366-8288).. Hang in there, and thanks for writing.
Try to find things that help you feel and process your emotions. Like writing in a journal, taking a walk, drawing on paper with pastels, calling a friend, listening to music, etc. The goal of an alternative is not as much to replace the self-injury as it is to help you learn to deal with the feelings that cause you to self-injure.
I hope this helps, take care.
I like to tear up paper into little bity peices! I become a human shredder 🙂 It reduces anxiety for me and it doesn’t harm me or anyone else. You can also write down what you are feeling on the piece of paper, like the negative emotions, and then tear that piece of paper into a million little pieces. Personally, I just find tearing up things that need to be otherwise put through the shredder works equally as good.
I would discourage against using the rubber band because the rubber band can actually become a form of self-injury and does actually hurt the body.
Hi,
I’ve found that sometimes just throwing a ball off the wall as many times as I can in an hour is a good way to releive the anxiety and cravings to injure. During the summer, I’d go to the lake and skip stones for hours. Just to get away from my stressors for awhile. But finding a way to do the same at home can do wonders too!
yep, i had a friend who didnt get caught injuring, but did get caught with a bunck of rubber bands and had a huge blow-out with her parents about it.
u usually end up drawing all over myself with pens or sharpie, or have friends write things on my back or stomach, rite now i have “dont come a knocking when the bus is a rocking” in black and silver on my back, adn by having a coupel on my back, i felt infinately better. i dunno if it works for u, but its worth a try (and u cant talk durign the writing, so u can think over wat ur feelign, and wats triggering u while u wait….)
I actually go back to my room and listen to music and then think of how many people I would hurt if I would follow through with self-harm and that makes me stop. And I think of my family and everyone I love and that just gives me enough strength to stop what I am doing.
I hope this helps!