quit self-harming

My original approach: “just stop doing it!” wasn’t working. So today I decided on a new course of action. Every time I catch myself or am tempted to self-harm, I’m going to self-massage instead. It’s tactile and calming, like my self-harm behaviour. Also, nearly every part of my body is always sore because of my FM & CFS, so it helps a bit momentarily with the pain. I predict that this has a better chance of working than my previous attempts to quit.

I had a bad cut in my thumb on my right hand, which prevented me from doing much of it. It is much better now, but I have been busy the past few days, so I haven’t done it too much.

I haven’t had much success stopping myself from doing this every day. It’s not anything really bad, not cutting, but it is still not a good thing. It gives me the same release that cutting does with cutters, but I don’t just do it when I am upset, I do it all the time, every day, at least once a day. It’s become a habit and I start doing it without even realizing I’m doing it, and then I sometimes get mad at myself. It’s so compulsive.