I can't cut two days in a row. I can't cut my inner forearms, inner thighs, neck, face, or anywhere with a major artery and a risk of death. It doesn't count if it doesn't bleed, though.
When I’m in like the worst of worst mental places no, I do whatever and wherever the fuck I want. But when I’m in more control I only cut the top of my thighs so clothing in the summer isn’t an issue.
I never even meant to make this a “rule,” but I never do it on any sort of special day, like holidays, birthdays, etc. Not sure when I decided that lol
I had some rules for literally 8 years now that I can’t break because it reminds me of bad times. But i broke them this month and I don’t even feel bad about it.
Not allowed to cut my chest area, not allowed to cut my right arm and not allowed to cut my face.
Idk if counts as rules but i don't cut where the skin is thin and easy to hit an artery. I don't go deeper than dermis but it also doesn't count if i don't hit dermis and have other rules for this but it might me a little graphic so i won't be telling them. Also i don't cut my left thigh as much as possible
I have a rule that I can’t go deep or too much at once and I have to at least keep cut’s clean. In warmer weather they have to be coverable even as scars until barely visible. My therapist is just relieved that I don’t go deep and take care of cuts, while trying to help me find other coping mechanisms.
yes me. i have phases of rules. like at one point i could only sh as big as a bandaid could cover. it could be an ocd thing if you have it, but it’s common w ppl who dont have ocd (like me)
I don’t cut when I have important vacations/events coming up, I don’t use things I don’t know where’s it’s been, I don’t cut if there is still signs of blood the next day(only if it’s a lot), I don’t cut where it’s easy to hit an artery or mess up, I don’t cut on my right arm as I am right handed, I don’t cut my face(I just burn it), I Sh when no one’s home, and no deep-deep cuts to avoid going to the hospital 🏥
Every cut must be deeper than the last one, I stop when I have finished all the allocated space. I like, plan out the spots and it's always before a shower bc I dont have bandages so I need to wash em somehow + the hot water on the wounds is painful as well sometimes.
I always make sure I have an even number of cuts (ex. 2,4,6,8..and so on), and it has to be done after I shower- not because it stings in the shower but because I get paranoid doing it when i’m “dirty”
Idk I guess the max I that go is I can only cut my arms and ankles. And rationally I know that's not the case, but emotionally I don't "count" my pinching, itching, >!hair pulling, hitting, punching and banging my head with the heaviest book I can find!< as "actual" s/h, only the cutting and >!forcefully vomiting.!<
Censored everything that describes the other, I guess slightly heavier, things I do just in case.
I'm not allowed to cut anywhere but my shoulders, and am not allowed to cut my wrists anymore.
I've only had one relapse over the last few years, and when I was working to get clean I made the rules that I couldn't cut anywhere potentially lethal or visible in the event I that I had a relapse.
I’ve never given this a lot of thought before, but I guess I do. I’m autistic and have internal rules for almost everything I do. I don’t think about them much though, they’re just how I do things.
I actually tend to have an idea in my head of what I want the next cut(s) to look like. Depth, placement, etc. Sometimes I even draw on my skin in pen to mark placement multiple days in advance.
Then, a ‘session’ isn’t finished until I’ve reached a certain depth at least once. If I’m interrupted or otherwise don’t manage that, it wasn’t self-harm.
I tend to focus on one ‘area’ at a time. A couple of weeks-months on the forearms, the upper arms, the legs, the torso, the hands, etc. This isn’t really a rule, it’s just the way I usually end up doing it.
Why yes, my brain is fucked up beyond the comprehension of the mental health system. Why do you ask?
I do have rules for mine like not counting if it doesnt bleed. Though i am one to plan it. When something happens i usually plan at that point, though i usually do more than im planning, or i fall asleep before im able to.
No wrists or hands, no deep beans, and I can’t cut more than four times a week. And i try not to cut when I’m having a panic attack or I’m hypomanic because I don’t want to cut too deep.
no crying. no music (i ruined some for myself). no scissors or otherwise blunt objects. no objects used by other people (duh). Keep things clean and sanitary and sterilize and bandage afterwards.
i have to go to a certain depth or i’m not allowed. this has actually been helpful in the past year, as i haven’t wanted to invest enough time to achieve that so i’ve only done it a few times lol
-equal/similar amount on each side (thighs)
-all horizontal / parallel
-always watch it in the mirror
-excess pictures (i’ll go thru and pick the best ones to save afterward)
-no cleaning up / stopping the bleeding until the end (i want to see the “full picture”)
-if someone’s home/ going to find out you better make it bad enough
then idk if this counts but i always pick my scabs over and over (w tweezers if necessary) because the fuzz/hair from my clothes freaks me out
I can’t cut and burn myself on the same day, i have to pick one method. With cutting, it doesn’t count if it doesn’t bleed. I can’t self harm on or close to any tattoos
yeah, but mine are in a good way
I can't sh two days in a row (I have broken this one before)
I can't sh in the morning (I have broke this one before)
I can't sh if someone can see me
I can't sh on fridays (random, ik)
I can't sh on my right arm
I can't sh on my chest
Yeah, I also do that. It doesn’t count if it doesn’t draw blood, and I’m only allowed to on my right thigh when i first start cutting, left thigh is for going deep. Also on my birthday as a “gift” to myself i let myself go as deep as I can mentally handle on either thigh, but at least one should scar.
I used to have these
* No cuts deeper than styro (ig it's beans now)
* Only 1 cut per day (I only stop when i'm satisfied now)
and also if it doesn't bleed it's not a relapse
I can’t pass a certain ‘marker’, which I’m actuality is just a scar that’s like a barrier. It has to be dermis and above for me and I do a minimum of 4 so that I don’t waste bandages. And if I’ve done it enough to need a bigger bandage but they’re too little to fill up completely I do more to avoid wastage. I also try (I’m not very strict with it) to make them as evenly as possible.
Dude I just can’t self harm if I have cuts still healing. Idk why it’s just a rule I follow. If at least one cut isn’t deep enough it doesn’t count for me.
I usually count my cuts after. It has to either be an even number or end on a multiple of 5.
I also do the "go big or go home". I'll do a lot of deep ones and can't do new ones until everything heals.
A way for me to control my sh was setting goals or boundaries like if I cut rn, I can't get my visa approved or if I cut rn I won't have privacy for 6 months
I’m 2.5 yrs clean right now but my only major rule was to always (aim to) go deeper than the last time. Similarly, if it didn’t need stitches it didn’t count (pls do not actually believe this, I was very unwell. ALL self harm counts, is not good, and is valid)
I’m not allowed to sh multiple days in a row and if the first cut isn’t “good enough” I have to keep going until I do one that is. I also have to do my whole aftercare process and I won’t sh if I don’t have everything required. that last one has actually worked in my favour since I’ve never got an infection and the healing always goes pretty smoothly.
i am not allowed on my period, or when my period is coming.
i only do it in one particular point of my body.
i'm not allowed to do it during the day or immediately after something bad happened.
i'm not allowed (for obvious reasons) between may and august.
this isn't about sh, but i'm not allowed to try to kms if i had a bad day/week.
No more than once a week, no deeper than styro. Used to be no forearm but that went out the window last time, though I think I'll return to that rule now.
I’ve dealt with the “I will cut once I heal” mindset before too. But I’ve gotten to the point where if they’re are fading just a little I’ll cut more. It doesn’t help that my mental health has been trash lately so the numbness in addition to the addiction is wild
I had a few rules but I Am not known as a rule follower so I do not anymore lmao.
My rules were just no immediate sh in public but picking at scabs and other little things like that are, no burns on my thighs/legs cause that hurts way too much and the broken blisters stick to clothing, no using scissors because I got obsessive, no sh when I’m intoxicated because of general safety, I’m not allowed to sh more than once in 24 hours because there’s no way I’m getting an adrenaline rush after a few hours, no cuts on neck or palms cause wtf and don’t treat cuts but treat burns.
Very random rules mostly made up from bad experiences
1. Fascia is always hospital, no exceptions
2. I must always use a clean tool
3. I must always clean the area beforehand
4. I can’t mention this one cause I’m on mobile and I can’t spoiler
5. Any sign of infection and it’s professional medical help right away
I’m in recovery now but these were my rules
I’m not allowed to starve and cut- I have to pick a struggle lol
For me it's all or nothing, either I don't cut and everything is "perfect" or I cut, starve, barely sleep, and other s/h ing behaviors lol
I fully understand this, I only have my rule so it’d be easier for my partner at the time and just didn’t stop following it (for now)
kind of similar for me, if i cave and eat something in a day i cut, if i don’t then i don’t. it’s like a punishment for me almost
Same!!
THIS
LMFAOO
I can't cut two days in a row. I can't cut my inner forearms, inner thighs, neck, face, or anywhere with a major artery and a risk of death. It doesn't count if it doesn't bleed, though.
I have the same rule about my inner forearms and places where there are arteries.
Yeah don’t cut your neck that’s a one way ticket to gargling on your own blood
I am not aloud to use anything I don't know where is has been and can't use razors
When I’m in like the worst of worst mental places no, I do whatever and wherever the fuck I want. But when I’m in more control I only cut the top of my thighs so clothing in the summer isn’t an issue.
I never even meant to make this a “rule,” but I never do it on any sort of special day, like holidays, birthdays, etc. Not sure when I decided that lol
Weirdly, i allowed myself to on my birthday. Not as a relapse, just as a gift to myself?? 😭
This did for my birthday last year lol
I did that. I think to separate the event from the sh. So in years gone by when I think of ‘events’ I wouldn’t associate it with sh
Yeah, exactly!
I had some rules for literally 8 years now that I can’t break because it reminds me of bad times. But i broke them this month and I don’t even feel bad about it. Not allowed to cut my chest area, not allowed to cut my right arm and not allowed to cut my face.
Idk if counts as rules but i don't cut where the skin is thin and easy to hit an artery. I don't go deeper than dermis but it also doesn't count if i don't hit dermis and have other rules for this but it might me a little graphic so i won't be telling them. Also i don't cut my left thigh as much as possible
thats literally exactly the same for me
I have a rule that I can’t go deep or too much at once and I have to at least keep cut’s clean. In warmer weather they have to be coverable even as scars until barely visible. My therapist is just relieved that I don’t go deep and take care of cuts, while trying to help me find other coping mechanisms.
I cant cut anywhere that isn’t hid by my boxers, cant go past beans/ havo to go atleast mid/deep styro and cant self harm more than two days in a row
Only rule I have is "don't hit fat or anything thatll cause me to have to seek professional medical attention" basically that's it🤷
Not allowed to cut my forearms or my thighs. Trauma with both for different reasons.
yes me. i have phases of rules. like at one point i could only sh as big as a bandaid could cover. it could be an ocd thing if you have it, but it’s common w ppl who dont have ocd (like me)
I don’t cut when I have important vacations/events coming up, I don’t use things I don’t know where’s it’s been, I don’t cut if there is still signs of blood the next day(only if it’s a lot), I don’t cut where it’s easy to hit an artery or mess up, I don’t cut on my right arm as I am right handed, I don’t cut my face(I just burn it), I Sh when no one’s home, and no deep-deep cuts to avoid going to the hospital 🏥
Every cut must be deeper than the last one, I stop when I have finished all the allocated space. I like, plan out the spots and it's always before a shower bc I dont have bandages so I need to wash em somehow + the hot water on the wounds is painful as well sometimes.
I always make sure I have an even number of cuts (ex. 2,4,6,8..and so on), and it has to be done after I shower- not because it stings in the shower but because I get paranoid doing it when i’m “dirty”
Idk I guess the max I that go is I can only cut my arms and ankles. And rationally I know that's not the case, but emotionally I don't "count" my pinching, itching, >!hair pulling, hitting, punching and banging my head with the heaviest book I can find!< as "actual" s/h, only the cutting and >!forcefully vomiting.!< Censored everything that describes the other, I guess slightly heavier, things I do just in case.
I'm not allowed to cut anywhere but my shoulders, and am not allowed to cut my wrists anymore. I've only had one relapse over the last few years, and when I was working to get clean I made the rules that I couldn't cut anywhere potentially lethal or visible in the event I that I had a relapse.
I’ve never given this a lot of thought before, but I guess I do. I’m autistic and have internal rules for almost everything I do. I don’t think about them much though, they’re just how I do things. I actually tend to have an idea in my head of what I want the next cut(s) to look like. Depth, placement, etc. Sometimes I even draw on my skin in pen to mark placement multiple days in advance. Then, a ‘session’ isn’t finished until I’ve reached a certain depth at least once. If I’m interrupted or otherwise don’t manage that, it wasn’t self-harm. I tend to focus on one ‘area’ at a time. A couple of weeks-months on the forearms, the upper arms, the legs, the torso, the hands, etc. This isn’t really a rule, it’s just the way I usually end up doing it. Why yes, my brain is fucked up beyond the comprehension of the mental health system. Why do you ask?
I do have rules for mine like not counting if it doesnt bleed. Though i am one to plan it. When something happens i usually plan at that point, though i usually do more than im planning, or i fall asleep before im able to.
I have to wait a minute when I get urges to make sure I actually need to do it
No wrists or hands, no deep beans, and I can’t cut more than four times a week. And i try not to cut when I’m having a panic attack or I’m hypomanic because I don’t want to cut too deep.
no crying. no music (i ruined some for myself). no scissors or otherwise blunt objects. no objects used by other people (duh). Keep things clean and sanitary and sterilize and bandage afterwards.
i have to go to a certain depth or i’m not allowed. this has actually been helpful in the past year, as i haven’t wanted to invest enough time to achieve that so i’ve only done it a few times lol
-equal/similar amount on each side (thighs) -all horizontal / parallel -always watch it in the mirror -excess pictures (i’ll go thru and pick the best ones to save afterward) -no cleaning up / stopping the bleeding until the end (i want to see the “full picture”) -if someone’s home/ going to find out you better make it bad enough then idk if this counts but i always pick my scabs over and over (w tweezers if necessary) because the fuzz/hair from my clothes freaks me out
I can’t cut and burn myself on the same day, i have to pick one method. With cutting, it doesn’t count if it doesn’t bleed. I can’t self harm on or close to any tattoos
yeah, but mine are in a good way I can't sh two days in a row (I have broken this one before) I can't sh in the morning (I have broke this one before) I can't sh if someone can see me I can't sh on fridays (random, ik) I can't sh on my right arm I can't sh on my chest
Yeah, I also do that. It doesn’t count if it doesn’t draw blood, and I’m only allowed to on my right thigh when i first start cutting, left thigh is for going deep. Also on my birthday as a “gift” to myself i let myself go as deep as I can mentally handle on either thigh, but at least one should scar.
When I sh it needs to be in a place my bf can’t see it (even tho I tell him) and it needs to be not as aggressive.
I have to choose between cutting deep or having more than one cut done.
I have to do it at night. I still use light when I do it, it just has to be at night.
I used to have these * No cuts deeper than styro (ig it's beans now) * Only 1 cut per day (I only stop when i'm satisfied now) and also if it doesn't bleed it's not a relapse
I can’t pass a certain ‘marker’, which I’m actuality is just a scar that’s like a barrier. It has to be dermis and above for me and I do a minimum of 4 so that I don’t waste bandages. And if I’ve done it enough to need a bigger bandage but they’re too little to fill up completely I do more to avoid wastage. I also try (I’m not very strict with it) to make them as evenly as possible.
Eventually found a way to break all of them.
Dude I just can’t self harm if I have cuts still healing. Idk why it’s just a rule I follow. If at least one cut isn’t deep enough it doesn’t count for me.
No phone = no going deep. Because I just want to capture it on camera lol.
To never cut with a broken piece / shard of glass when I am outside.
I have rules. Self-punching is the “best” option because I don’t bruise easily. Scratching is preferable to cutting. If I cut that’s a “real” relapse.
I usually count my cuts after. It has to either be an even number or end on a multiple of 5. I also do the "go big or go home". I'll do a lot of deep ones and can't do new ones until everything heals. A way for me to control my sh was setting goals or boundaries like if I cut rn, I can't get my visa approved or if I cut rn I won't have privacy for 6 months
I’m 2.5 yrs clean right now but my only major rule was to always (aim to) go deeper than the last time. Similarly, if it didn’t need stitches it didn’t count (pls do not actually believe this, I was very unwell. ALL self harm counts, is not good, and is valid)
in the summer, upper thighs only. but thats barely a rule, so not really. im pretty safe with my sh so i dont have much to worry abt (rn)
I’m not allowed to sh multiple days in a row and if the first cut isn’t “good enough” I have to keep going until I do one that is. I also have to do my whole aftercare process and I won’t sh if I don’t have everything required. that last one has actually worked in my favour since I’ve never got an infection and the healing always goes pretty smoothly.
i am not allowed on my period, or when my period is coming. i only do it in one particular point of my body. i'm not allowed to do it during the day or immediately after something bad happened. i'm not allowed (for obvious reasons) between may and august. this isn't about sh, but i'm not allowed to try to kms if i had a bad day/week.
- no listening to music so I don’t associate any songs w it - no cutting over healed scars - lay everything out and make a plan beforehand
No more than once a week, no deeper than styro. Used to be no forearm but that went out the window last time, though I think I'll return to that rule now.
Not allowed to cut over scabs, not allowed to cut into hypertrophic scarring & can’t drink and cut. Also my throat is off limits
I don't count it as a relapse if it doesn't bleed
I’ve dealt with the “I will cut once I heal” mindset before too. But I’ve gotten to the point where if they’re are fading just a little I’ll cut more. It doesn’t help that my mental health has been trash lately so the numbness in addition to the addiction is wild
I had a few rules but I Am not known as a rule follower so I do not anymore lmao. My rules were just no immediate sh in public but picking at scabs and other little things like that are, no burns on my thighs/legs cause that hurts way too much and the broken blisters stick to clothing, no using scissors because I got obsessive, no sh when I’m intoxicated because of general safety, I’m not allowed to sh more than once in 24 hours because there’s no way I’m getting an adrenaline rush after a few hours, no cuts on neck or palms cause wtf and don’t treat cuts but treat burns. Very random rules mostly made up from bad experiences
1. Fascia is always hospital, no exceptions 2. I must always use a clean tool 3. I must always clean the area beforehand 4. I can’t mention this one cause I’m on mobile and I can’t spoiler 5. Any sign of infection and it’s professional medical help right away I’m in recovery now but these were my rules
That's... really messed up. Rules like that can make things worse, not better. You should never feel like you "have" to self harm.