When i went for my assessment the woman (dunno what profession she was she didn't say, maybe a psychologist or a councillor i don't know) said to me it's taken 10 years to form this habit/mechanism and it could take that long to rewire my thinking and stuff, do you think that's right?
if you've been s/h x amount of time that it will take the same amount of time to go back to before you started? I don't know what to say when she said it, i just kinda nodded and huh huh at her. Hmmm
i dont think its an exact science. i think it takes a long time to recover fully and to unlearn behaviours. but i wouldnt like to say it takes the exact same time youve been SI'ing.
4 o'clock, 4 o'clock...
never let me sleep. i close my eyes and pray!
I agree with the above posters, it will take a while to get over the thoughts and behaviours, but I don't necessarily think that it could take that amount of time. Someone who has been s/hing for 5 years may take say, 10 years to recover, whereas someone who has been s/hing for 10 years may only take 5 years, maybe not even that! I guess it depends on the situation.
I think it's just saying that it can take a long time to recover properly, so don't give up hope if it doesn't happen instantly.
Recovery is basically relearning a lot of tried and tested coping mechanisms, so it will take time to undo some of the damage done. It may take a month, it may take ten years - don't expect it to be overnight, considering how long it's taken you to get to this point. It can be hard not to lose hope, but do keep on trying; it is worth it in the long run.
Yeah i was kinda shocked when she said it, i hope it's not the case cus i don't think i'll have 10 years of fight in me.
I still don't feel any nearer being able to stop, most i managed was 5 months free, dunno how i managed it, thought i was over it, but then a simple self mutilation scene in a film kicked it all off again.
Sometimes i wonder if i will ever be able to stop. hmmm
I was talking to my counsello rth eother day and she kinda said the same thing to me.
I looked at her, (I get very argumentative with her), and asked what would she know.
It may take me 8 years to not need it any more. I don't, personally, believe that you ever get over the thoughts of it. It was, and is, a HUGE part of our lives, its what has kept us here and given us a way to cope. As we get older and get overwhellmed, what is to stop us from thinking of it? It was a habit and we relied on it in the past, it worked, whats to say it won't again.
I think we are recovered when we are strong enough to say no to the urges and to use other healthy methods to cope with everything.
From Nymph to Dragonfly, I know my place.
Call me Bee. =) Like it or Lump it.
‘Cause the passion and pain are gonna keep you alive someday
