Talking about Self Harming

[shmesh]

So how do you feel about talking about your self harming now that you are recovered/recovering?
I have been with my boyfriend for a while and he has asked me about my self harming afew times before but last night he was asking heaps and heaps of questions, like why i did it and how it felt and stuff. I feel really comfortable talking about it now, not only to him but with other people that ask, since i can say I "USE" to self harm, and that its not controlling my life any more. I suppose im not ashamed any more.

Have most people found that this is the case?

[.ghost.]

Actually, I like talking about self harm to some people. Not most people, but people I know who SI or have done in the past, I'm really comfortable with it.
I think it was easier when I could say I used to (I tried to recover at some point) but even now I still do I don't mind talking about it to people who I know aren't going to be judgemental about it.
I think talking to recovered SIers is good for me, but it gives me some hope that I will recover someday.

I think it's really good that you're comfortable talking about it and it's great that you're not ashamed.
Well done for recovering too!

Take care
xx

[Chrissyann]

The only person I can talk to about it is my boyfriend. But it has got easier since making the decision to stop. I think that's because he's more comfortable asking questions because he knows that I'm not as unsafe. Before, talking about it made me feel more inclined to cut afterwards, but now it doesn't bother me so much. And I also want him to understand as much as possible so that he can help me in my recovery.

[BeautyFiend]

I talk about it to anyone who asks.

[Sofie]

I have a few friends who I'm comfortable talking about SI with, but am not quite so comfortable talking about it to most of my friends.

[Daydream]

I sometimes wish people would talk to me about it. Its as if people are trying to act as if it never happened. I'm okay talking about it. The only exception is with kids. My dad friends son asked me what happened to my arm, and I didnt really want to go into depth with a kid who would not understand, so I just said it happened when I was ill. My brother knows that I've been ill and they happened when I was ill, though he doesnt know that I did them. He doesnt ask about it. He's convinced that my cat did most of them though! (My cat would have to be a tiger to have done some of them!)
With people who are as mature as me though, its fine. I'm happy to talk about it.

[Mimsy]

I'm really comfortable with it now, and I think I was when I did it all the time too. I've always felt that people will judge me more if they dont understand. Talking to them made the situation more open- they werent constantly worried and i didnt have to worry about hiding from them all the time. Now, my closest friends know everything about my self harm simply because they kept asking questions over time. Being open about it all helped me to stop i think.

[caz23]

I feel reasonably comfortable talking about it to most of my friends now, although there is a number of people that I just can't bring myself to talk to about it. I won't bring the subject up but if they ask me anything I'm generally quite happy to talk about it.

[IceBreak]

I really dont or ever have minded talking about it to anyone I know (cept those i know who were against it) but its more difficult when its random strangers that ask u to explain and then I just begin to struggle for words because it is out of my comfort zone.