Immune?

[Celticroots]

It seems like minor hits aren't enough anymore. It kind of seems as though the area where I usually hit has began to toughen up since I do it so much, and that I need to use more force to get the same effect that I used to. I've heard that harming worse and worse is common the farther into self-injury you go. I think that's beginning to happen to me.

I haven't noticed that until now. I don't know why I am posting this. The thought just came to me.

[Dx Bunee]

Yeah, sadly it's true. :( Hope you feel better soon.

[Aemornion]

I think it's true, like with a lot of things (such as drugs, smoking or alcohol). You build up a tolerance, then you need more to get the same effect. I guess that's another reason why it's so difficult to stop.

I hope you can find some way to turn it around so it doesn't keep getting worse. *hugs*

[Tig]

I think it's very common unfortunately. It happened for me, I guess I got used to the pain so needed more pain to get the 'hit'. It really spiralled out of control. I hope you can gain some sort of control over this x

[Celticroots]

Thank you guys. I plan on telling my counselor about it first thing. The thought that I may already be building a tolerance to the pain freaks me out. I don't want things to get worse. Ill keep you guys posted about how things are going.

[Retrosimplicity]

That's almost a given for people with addictive behaviors. As mentioned, it's not just with self injury, but many people need more alcohol and more drugs in a sitting than before to get the same effect. It with any behavior, mental or physical. Whatever your doing builds up a tolerance and it's not enough, so you get worse and worse about it. It's pretty scary, but really nothing you can do. It just builds up gradually. But it's really common.

[Celticroots]

Thanks for the posts all. And yes it is really scary, because I sense things are progressing. I hit myself again today, harder than I have before, although I didn't use an object. I'd also started to use objects to hit myself with which freaks me out.

I told my counselor about it. Which helped.

[carpediem]

Like others have already said, the more we expose our bodies to (no matter what it is) our body responds by building up a tolerance. It is a natural response our bodies have for the experiences we put our bodies through. It is a scary thing, but it is good that you recognize the fear (that can make a world of difference in recovery!). It is also great that you opened up to your therapist about all this, so kudos to you!

Has your therapist suggested any alternative coping mechanisms for you, instead of immediately resorting to SH?