Struggling to not self harm or to drink
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Hi, Beck.
Hope that you will keep sharing with us-and feel proud of yourself for choosing sobriety.
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Try to realize, deep down, that you don't actually want to drink. Then it's much easier not to, since you're simply not doing something you don't want to do.
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We all love you. You are stronger and bigger than this
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Thank you for reaching out. Sometimes that is the most difficult part.
I understand that self-harm is another way to numb feelings, just like any substance.
Try some deep breathing and some grounding exercises.
Call people. Use your phone. Even if you decide not to confide and your struggle, you are effectively distracting yourself from those overwhelming feelings.
When you have an urge to self-harm, try using an ice cube on your wrists or whatever site you would normally scar. Use ice on the back of your neck. Dip your face into a bowl full of ice water. These are techniques that trick your nervous system into putting those overwhelming emotions on the back burner, so to speak. It turns out that your body cannot simultaneously process both the intense emotions AND the intense physical sensations. It's why we self-harm. These other ideas don't damage you. You are worthwhile and you don't deserve to be damaged, sweetheart. These techniques provide the same switching process for our emotions and it is much healthier and more self-compassionate.
If you want other ideas or want to chat, I'm often around.
Hugs to you. You are worthy if recovery. You are worthy of self-love and self-compassion.
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