{Mods, please remove this if this type of post isn't allowed ❤️}

Hey folks ... This really isn't an easy topic for me but today I'm really struggling, and I'm hoping for some friendly, non judgmental advice ...

I'm a self harmer, and have been on and off for years. I won't go too much into it, but I pull out chunks of my hair, scratch myself and cut. It's getting to the point where I've damaged and irritated the nerves in my arms - and I'm hoping to find some way to distract myself from doing so, when things get overwhelming.

I've tried googling solutions but come up empty handed - I can't afford £30 to go out and buy craft items to make soothing jars or anything (Though they are absolutely beautiful and I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could!), and suggestions such as going for walks/exercise/read a book etc just don't help ... I'm looking for ways to distract myself when the urge overwhelms me, because it can come on out of nowhere and it hits me like a tonne of bricks; I'll be feeling fine one minute, and the next I'm feeling sick trying to ignore the urge to find a quiet spot to hurt myself.

Do you have any tips or tricks? What have you found helps you in the 'heat of the moment' to take your mind off things? I'm looking for super cheap, preferably free, ideas - I've tried pretty much everything, from forcing myself out of the house, to screaming and punching pillows and writing and so on - but nothing seems to distract me for long enough, which is where the issue lies.

Thank you in advance for any replies. ❤️

Draw on yourself. Try to use water based paint and non-toxic things. As a cutter, it helped me a lot to simply paint swirly patterns on my arm or anywhere I felt like doing so. I also used water once with a q-tips to simply "paint" shapes on my arm.

I've tried this but it doesn't have a lasting effect :/ It was either drawing patterns/doodles/whatever, or I'd use a pink highlighter and draw lines where I wanted to self harm - and often I'd get a shock looking at it later because it looks so similar to cuts at a glance! But drawing/painting on myself doesn't really phase me now, I'll just cut over it which is no use :( Thank you for the suggestion though! ❤️

If drawing on yourself with markers doesn't help, have you considered henna? It's like a tattoo, only temporary (I don't want to suggest getting a tattoo in your cutting area of choice only because it's so permanent, haha). It last days or weeks, if I'm remembering correctly. Do you think having pretty henna patterns on your body would dissuade you from cutting into them?

I'd also suggest getting a sketch book. You can find one for pretty cheap. Don't go to like...bookstores or high-end craft stores or anything like that. Allow yourself to do WHATEVER in this book. You can write, draw, spill paint all over it, dig into the pages and scratch them up with sharp objects, whatever. Maybe listen to calming music while doing this? Let the pages of the sketchbook be your body.

Unfortunately, I have multiple tattoos on my arms (and down my ribs and so on) but it hasn't deterred me from cutting at all - so I have a couple of ruined tattoos because of the self harm :(

I've got a few sketchbooks but I never thought of digging them/scratching and so on - I'll give that a try next time the urge comes, thank you for the suggestion ❤️

Exercise.

I don't mean enroll in a gym or anything costly: do sit ups or squats or push-ups, concentrating on doing them right (you know, as correct anatomically as possible, there are plenty of sites and videos). If you can run, do it, around the block. If you're not an exercise nut, better yet! The discomfort I felt when doing push-ups with my long-unused muscles really helped "sate" the part of me that wanted the pain, only n a more positive way. Now, after I've finally stopped self-harming, exercising helps me with emotional pain as well.

Do you visit a therapist? It's only the healthiest advice. You shouldn't be struggling with this. I don't want sound rude. I myself cut, choke, burn etc myself a long time ago.

I can only do so much due to nerve damage in my arms/hands and legs/feet - but I'll see what I can manage, thanks for the advice :)

I do visit a therapist, have been for the last 6 months or so, but it just doesn't seem to be making any difference sadly

If you think your therapist is not a good fit, then please look for someone else. Don't ever stick with one that doesn't move you in any way.

- Always keep an orange in a ziplock bag in your freezer.

When you feel the need to self harm, get that orange from the freezer, and hold it. Observe it. Really get a feel for the sensation of it in your hands. Is there frost on its skin, or is it just extremely cold? How do your hands feel? Do you think, during the time the orange was in the freezer, that it froze entirely through? What does it look like, you think? While holding that orange, can you picture it on the inside? Was there a sticker on it before you put it in the freezer? Has it changed in texture... is it still even stuck to the fruit?

Hold the orange until your hands hurt. Hold the orange until you can peel it. Hold it until you don't feel the need to harm yourself anymore.