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Replace your self-injurious behavior with somewhat painful but ultimately not harmful experiences. This will allow you to 'hurt yourself' without your actions actually being damaging. For example, rather than engaging in more damaging behaviors, put an ice cube down your shirt, eat something really spicy, or take a cold shower instead. Run an ice cube along areas you would self-harm, draw lines with red marker, or doodle on yourself like a tattoo. Create digital cuts instead of real ones. Write about all the things that are bothering you. Then fold up the paper and put it away in a drawer or box. As you do it, try to picture yourself locking up your pain inside with that paper. This is called containment; you are symbolically trapping those thoughts and emotions to a place where they can't so easily bother you. You may be surprised at just how much it can help. There are many different strategies you can use before resorting to self-harm. One way to distract yourself from the urge to harm is to engage in harmless behaviors that alleviate the source of your distress. Are you feeling angry or frustrated? Try doing something physical: Flatten aluminum cans. Hit a punching bag. Break sticks. Are you feeling depressed or unhappy? Do something that makes you feel cared for and comforted. Light sweet-smelling incense. Listen to soothing music. Call a friend and talk. Take a hot shower. Do you want to see blood? Draw on yourself with a red felt-tip pen or paint yourself with safe, removable paint. If you can't bring yourself to throw these objects out, put them somewhere out of your immediate reach, somewhere that you have to make an extra effort to get them. When you are hurting, impulses are strong having to go out of your way to take action on those impulses will give you time to resist them. Try enjoying a movie, reading a book, or hanging out with friends if you feel like injuring yourself. This can also help you to cope after self-injury by getting your mind off of things. If you are thinking of injuring yourself, wait 10 minutes and see how you feel. If you still have the urge, and you feel you must self-harm, let yourself in a safe, controlled way with a phone nearby to dial 911 in the case of an emergency. If not, keep increasing the amount of time you delay, from 10 minutes to 30 minutes to an hour to 2 hours and so on.
Use replacement techniques. Vent your feelings on paper. Distract yourself when you have the urge to self-injure. Throw away or hide the implements you use to hurt yourself. Do something fun and relaxing. Delay self-harm.