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Jim, Volunteer Mentor avatar

I survived suicide attempts. Anyone else been here?

Mental Health | Last Active: Jun 21 12:51pm | Replies (159)

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Profile picture for xine @xine

I don't believe I currently engage in what would be considered self-harm or self-destruction in the conventional sense. Scissors aren't the most dangerous tool for me now, because I've attempted suicide before and I no longer dare to do so. There isn't a single knife in my home; at most, there are scissors. Unless I'm in a state of complete loss of control, I might use blunt scissors to repeatedly scrape my arms. It won't draw blood, nor will I lose control; it just causes pain, sharp pain, which brings me back to my senses. I earnestly believe my most severe issue is that I now steer every action towards its worst possible outcome. For instance, when a friend messages me, I know how to reply normally and how to reply in a way that would make them uncomfortable. Yet I deliberately choose the uncomfortable response, or simply end the conversation. Similarly, when faced with several possible actions, I'll deliberately pick the one that risks making things worse.

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Replies to "I don't believe I currently engage in what would be considered self-harm or self-destruction in the..."

@xine that is good news that you have taken steps to reduce your access to dangerous tools and have steered yourself away from the type of physical harm you used to cause. That shows a lot of willpower.

It sounds like there is a lot more going on than meets the eye with behaviors that you describe. Have you been able to discuss these with a therapist, maybe one trained in DBT? I wonder if they would be able to help you understand your choices and perhaps make different choices that serve you better.
You sound like a resilient person and I commend you for enduring everything that you have gone through, while still seeking answers. I do hope that you can find something that better serves you, because you deserve peace. Wishing you all the best.