You may experience thoughts of worthlessness or “inner badness.” You may then feel sad and “empty” inside. You may ruminate about death and dying and ponder the usefulness of your life. Sara comments, “I felt so empty inside that I often wondered if life was worth living. Self-injury helped me feel much more alive. I guess it just helped me to feel something.”
Lastly, you may experience great confusion, guilt, and shame for your actions. This is another area to work on in treatment. Recognizing that you have a problem in and of itself is courageous. You can be proud of yourself for taking that first step in recovery. Seeking treatment shows great strength. There is an addictive component to self-injury; therefore seeking help early will lead to higher rates of success. This is a behavior that can be stopped with help from a trained professional and one that can ultimately change your life in more positive ways than you might imagine.
Related Story: Understanding Self-Injury
PREVIOUS PAGE
