Help!

[SkinnyCow]

So what do people do when they're on the verge of self-harming? I have this intense urge right now to just do something awful to myself just to relieve the pain that is festering inside. However, I've been down this road many times before and have suffered some serious consequences as a result. I know what I'd be getting into by doing this, yet I am quite impulsive and have such an urge that I almost don't care what happens anymore.

Any advice on how to cope?

[myloverlybones]

hey sweetie, it's been an hour since you posted, so i hope i'm not too late.
i cope by walking, watching a movie, calling/texting a friend, getting on the forum, watch youtube videos, sometimes i go in my shower run the water and scream...but as weird as it sounds, it helps. maybe write, draw, go to a pond and feed ducks, anything. i know it's not as easy as it sounds, but try to ignore it and after a while, it does go away. (((hugs)))

[SkinnyCow]

I'm still here! So nope, you aren't too late. I actually wound up calling a friend (something I RARELY do since I've been pushing everyone away from me lately) and spoke with her for 3 hours!!! I'm not joking when I say this, but she literally saved my life tonight. Having everyone here to turn to is also very comforting.
But your list of coping techniques will definitely help me the next time I'm feeling so down. I appreciate your help :-)

[shadows]

I'll belatedly add a couple suggestions just in case it helps someone later on.

For me, I can usually feel myself heading in that direction enough in advance to recognize it. I grab an index card when I start feeling especially negatively, and I write one positive thing on each line about my life, or about the day, or about whatever remotely good events come to mind at the time, until I've filled in the entire front of the card (and believe me, that alone can sometimes take nearly an hour). Sometimes it helps to shift me into a more positive mindset in that moment.

If I can focus enough, I try to play a game or watch an episode of a show I like, or draw something (sometimes on the back of the index card).

One thing that also worked unexpectedly well for me last time was to clean my apartment... I grabbed the vacuum cleaner and vacuumed every inch of the floor, then ended up doing the dishes, sorting through old papers from the semester, folding clothes, etc. The physical activity helped more than anything else, and since I was focusing on specific tasks, I had a goal to work towards and focus on (e.g. finish vacuuming the floor, doing all of the dishes...) so once I finished a goal, if I was still feeling awful, I tried to set a new goal for myself. As a nice benefit, my apartment hasn't been this clean in about a year. I tend to get very restless when I start to get that way, though, so the physical exercise helps me a lot.

Sometimes I also just go outside and take a walk. I have a specific path I usually take, so it feels familiar, and I bring some music with me to listen to (ideally something uplifting, as opposed to something that will just let you wallow). Being outside and in public (even when it's late at night) removes me from anything I would normally use to hurt myself, and it also feeds my need for physical activity. I don't always feel significantly better afterwards, but usually well enough to try to focus on something else by then.

And definitely talking to people helps, as long as you know the conversation with them won't make it worse. Sometimes I do spontaneously instant message a friend if I'm not feeling up to talking to them out loud, other times I call someone (unless it's too late at night), and there are also hotlines you can use if you can't get in touch with anyone else.

Otherwise, I do try to avoid any situation where I'll be isolated and trapped inside my own head. Lying in bed and listening to music, or even taking a shower, usually just ensures that I'll do something I'll regret later. But the specific triggers and catalysts vary from person to person, so you know better than anyone else what would be best for you to avoid. :-)

[SkinnyCow]

WOW! That was one helpful go-to list to use when I'm feeling down. I'm actually doing a DBT course (Dialectial behavior therapy), not sure if anyone has heard of it before. It's basically a course designed to help someone control their emotions, and prevent them from getting to a point where they feel like self-injuring is the only way out. It is really helpful and actually recommends doing some of the activities you mentioned. You could teach the class! :-)