I cut my wrists and am bulimic. I have tried many alternatives.How can I stop?

I have been cutting for about two and a half years. I have tried many alternatives: rubberband, getting rid of all blades in my possession, writing, running, etc.., but nothing seems to help. I haven't been able to stop. I have been bulimic for about a year. I can stop sometimes, but other times I can't resist the urge. The more serious problem is my cutting. I have talked to my councelor at school and my parents. I have been trying to stop, but it just seems to be getting worse. I am fourteen and I want to live the rest of my life. If I can't stop then I won't be able to. I am scared and I need advice and help.
Answer:
My friend, please recognize that this is an "illness"...like cancer or diabetes. Take some pressure off of yourself. It is not simply a matter of "will". If it could be so easy as that. My sister was a high achiever...in school, in sports, in the social arena, in her looks...you name it. She got the same thing as you and struggled with it for 3 years, and only with a lot of support from friends and family, counselors %26 doctors, and her continuous efforts did she learn to manage it. She says she still faces it when she gets under pressure or stress, but she doesn't give into it. She says to herself, "today I will not give in to the urge to hurt myself". She takes it one day at a time, but she is also now married with kids and a great job. What helped her the most she says though, was GOD. (It doesn't matter your faith, your religion or even whether you believe or don't ; go somewhere private and ask GOD to help you. Tell God you don't know what to believe but please help you. I guarantee you, he will! He saved my sister and he will save you too). I don't mean that one day you will wake up and it will be over. I mean with GOD's help you will be able to take it one day at a time, and you will be able to learn to manage this and one day soon return to a happy %26 successful life! I know you and I dont know each other, but TODAY, you have a new friend %26 a new supporter! Today and the tomorrows that come, you will be in my prayers with GOD, and if you ever need some "email support", know that I am just an email away! You can and will learn to manage this...I promise. Consider me your "email support brother". I want say "good bye", I will say "until next time". Sky

---

you are not alone. But you really have to go out and seek some help from a psychologist!

---

You need to find somone you can talk to. You might be scared, but in the long run, it's the right thing to do.

---

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/self-harm...

---

Talk with a real doctor. Not to diss school counsellors, but they really can't do a good job. You need to protect your health. What cutting may be is a cumpulsion for you. It is hard to quit and to this day, I still have the urge to do it. The best help you can get is probably with a psychologist. You may have a chemical imbalance, nothing to worry about. I hope all is well.

---

I am no doctor, but I know from experience that Traditional Chinese Medicine can be great for healing from emotional issues. I saw a very experienced Chinese doctor. After years of emotional trouble, the first time she treated me I felt peace, joy and love. It took me awhile to sort out the problems in my life that were leading to my emotional state. But I've kept improving. I also got better at dealing with the underlying issue. It is said that Western medicine works quickly, so you feel better. Chinese medicine heals the problem from the root, so it takes longer. Going to acupuncture was the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. My doctor also prescribes Chinese herbal medicine. It helps if your social situation supports the form of treatment. Often times social situations can be the source of emotional problems. Now that I recognize what types of people I conflict with, which include family members, I try to give us space from each other.

You can also try yoga, tai chi and meditation. Meditation has been shown to lead to harmonious mental states. Some great books of ancient wisdom that help people navigate through trouble include the Tao Te Ching and the I Ching. These are all things you can do in your room by yourself.

I was always drawn to a therapy book that I didn't think was for me. But after I started reading it, I realized it was for me. This started a long and challenging journey that resulted in me being more able to recognize situations that were bad for me and protect myself from them. I never cut but I had eating problems. You might look into what underlying issues that cutting can be a symptom of. Once you understand the underlying issue, it can be a relief to have finally faced it. Then, you also know how to protect yourself from it. You can also find a counselor who is an expert in the underlying issue.

You also might become an "undercover detective" and try to piece together whatever life issues your family may have. Like... what was your parents' original family life like? Who was dominant and who had to be submissive? Who really cared and who wasn't able to? How do they feel about their family members? What all happened to them in their lives? Lots of time these issues can affect other people in the family.

I thought about doing something to my wrists a long time ago. From what I think I know about the reflexology of the nervous system, when blood and energy enters your head, it also enters your feet and hands. This occurs when your circulation works well enough for energy to reach the extremeties of your body, which includes your head. Lots of times people have emotional issues because they block things out of their mind because they don't want to face them. I was blocking something out of my mind, so when energy started to enter my extremities, I wanted to stop it. I realized this and just imagined myself relaxing and kind of mentally pushing blood through into my hands. I was fine. Acupuncture helped bring energy back into my mind, so I could face things in my life. Acupuncture also relaxed me and made me feel happy, so I could take what I had to face.

---

You can choose to stop. and you can search for professional help. if the counsellor is not helping you enough, find a better one.

---

I never thought that I would ever end up cuuting myself, but then I did. For some reason it felt good, like a release from my parents fighting. I started only wearing long sleeve shirts and became very self concious. I found that the only way to stop was to laugh. When I laughed I fogot my pain, and the more I hung out with my friends, the more the urges started to die down. I also started practicing the Kabbalah which helped ALOT! It sounds crazy but it totally worked!
Good Luck!

---

seek God... seek friends...

---

im bein serious here..ok when you feel like you want to cut yourself have someone tie your hands behind your back then you cant as far as the other problem i dont know

---

Your not alone with this. You and I sound exactly alike. I cut myself occasionaly too, and I'm bulimic. I've even tried killing myself once. The best thing I did was tell my mom. I strongly advise you to see a therapist that has been trained for this kind of stuff. I really do know how you feel and I wish you the absolute best of luck.

---