My one success with my depression

by Umarah
(England)

I've done it! well at least I like to say I have...I've stopped cutting myself...at least i think so. i haven't done it for a month and that was a one off, before that it was four months ago. I would just like to say, it is possible. At first I used to get frustrated at the fact that it wasn't socially accepted to cut yourself - i mean gay people can come out and say their gay and nobody will mind but cutters can't come out and say, "I self-harm", well, not without people telling them off or saying its wrong. But then i realised, maybe they're right...i mean if so many say it's wrong, the perhaps it is. Also, my aim of cutting is to stop the pain and be happy, but tbh, who has ever heard of a happy cutter?
So, here they are, the ways i made it easier for myself to stop are:

Religion -
I'm a Muslim and it is said that you should not harm your body as it is a gift from God. Also i started praying 5 times a day, and before you pray, you wash yourself in a certain way. you cannot pray if you are bleeding and if I've cut myself, when i wash my self my cut would usually start to bleed again so i wouldn't be able to pray...a great incentive not to cut myself :)

Will-
I can be a really stubborn cow towards people when i want to so i decided i would be stubborn to myself. I would not cut myself no matter what. Otherwise I'd just be a failure at something else. so just try and be really strong willed.

Telling/thinking of others-
If you tell someone when you're cutting, naturally they get worried and sometimes stressed. so every time you cut, tell someone. That way (i know this is a little cruel) you can see how much it upsets them and this will be an incentive for you not to do it again because you don't want to upset the ones you love.

Don't be depressed-
Although i don't cut any more, it still doesn't mean that I'm not depressed. The main route of cutting is because you're depressed. So if you're not depressed (or as depressed) you will find it easy to not want to cut. Come up with a list of about five things you can do when you're depressed to make you feel better. Here are mine:

1. Sing

2. Talk to someone
not necessarily about your depression just anything or everything ...something that will make you feel better e.g. talking to someone who makes you feel happy. but be careful not to dump all your problems on this person as you don't want to frighten them away (I've done this on more than one occasion by accident) if this does happen talk them round and try and explain about your condition

3. Sing

4. Write poems
poems are brilliant because you can show your feelings but without people necessarily knowing what you mean. you don't have to be good at poetry - anyone can do it. just right down a few words to do with your feelings using analogies and metaphors. remember, you don't have to show your poems to any one...my book of poems is more precious than my diary to me!

5. Keep a diary
or a 'thoughts book' as i like to call it (you don't have to write in here regularly, only when you feel like it. i usually right things from the past that have happened when my head gets confused as to what actually happened and what happened only in my head. i also use it when i feel like complaining about the world or i cba to write a poem.)

6. Jog
if all else fails just go for a jog, the pump of blood, rhythm of your feet, cold air in your face and lungs gradually brings you back up from your dream world to the surface of reality. it makes you feel real and human again. not only this, but it's good for your health too!!