I ask this question because I don't wish to be overheated this summer and I want to be comfortable in my own skin. My parents already know that I used to self harm, and so does my brother and my mom's boyfriend's son, but I need to have the courage to take off the long sleeves in front of my bro and the other guy. How do I go about doing so? Do I just walk out of my room one morning in a t-shirt? Do I sit down on the couch to watch tv and wait for them to come out? Do I ignore them the first time they see or should I say something stupid to break the ice? I usually say things like "Your face" to them. Should I just say that or what? God I'm so sick of this. Please suggest something as I am clueless and I wish to bare my arms either today or tomorrow.
I did it in small stages, like walk in when in kitchen grab drink and did things took longer and longer so far my family have never asked or said anything. dunno if that helps :=/
I'd say just go for it, or like Struggle said, maybe just do a little at a time. I think it's really good you want to be more comfortable showing your arms :) Perhaps try to not draw attention to it. If you don't say anything, maybe they won't either. And if they do, hope you don't let it get to you. It's probably better that they all know as well, so it's not a surprise when they see your arms.
Good luck-- hope you're able to wear short sleeves :)
"God take me, because I hate me" -Underoath
We are male and female. We are artists, athletes, and students. We have depression, PTSD, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, or maybe no diagnosis at all. Some of us were abused, some not. We come from all walks of life and can be any age. We are every race or religion that you can think of. Our common link is this: We are in pain. We self-injure. And we are not freaks.
I live (term time) in central London; if I insisted on keeping my arms covered, I'd struggle taking the tube in the summer because even in a t-shirt, it's almost-pass-out-hot. At home (parent) I always keep it covered regardless, because of how much it upsets my parents, and just avoid going out at mid-day when it's hot (which is a rubbish system).
Do what you're comfortable with. If it's hot, take your t-shirt off, and carry on as normal, and chances are, every one else will do the same.
You family already knows, so hopefully it will be 'brushed over'.
It doesn't matter where you come from; it matters where you go.
No-one gets remembered for the things they didn't do.
We won't all be here this time next year,
so while you can take a picture of us.
We're definitely going to hell,
but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
I found that they don't make a fuss unless you do. I found that just going for it and not changing my behaviour, also i find that on the days i felt nervous wearing a hoodie allows you to remove it while allowing you the bit of comfort that its there incase you can't do it.
Hope this helps
You're better than this. Breathe in. Breathe out. It'll be okay. I promise. Just don't forget to smile :)
The funny thing is,
nobody really ever knows how much
anybody is hurting.
We could be standing next to somebody,
who is completely broken,
and we wouldn't even know.
When I wear t-shirts, I just wear arm warmers/bracelets to cover the worst of it. No one notices and I stay just about as cool as I would wearing only a t-shirt. Plus, arm warmers/bracelets can be stylish.
Maybe wear a long sleeved shirt that is loose enough that you can roll the sleeves up. That way you can have part of your arms exposed but if you get uncomfortable you can always roll them back down.
I did this at first because I couldn't get over the fact that I was wearing a t-shirt. It just felt so foreign. In a long sleeved shirt I could roll up the sleeves for a few minutes at a time and get used to feeling the wind on my arms and the sunlight. It was weird getting used to these things again.
It's the children the world almost breaks that grow up to save it.
-Frank Warren
I think idea of wearing or taking something to cover when you feel uneasy or in or around people your not comfortable with would be good solution and doing it step at time! I still take jumpers, shirts and take them on or off according to where n when i feel comfortable n confident.
