How can I keep cutting without my family finding out?

Ok. I just started living with my family 2 months ago, before that I was in abusive foster care. I hate my life and my family really honestly doesnt understand me at all. ve cut for 3 years and I like it. its the only way that I can let out my feelings either that or writing. whenever I cut my familyalways gives me the crap trying to make me feel all guilty. in my opinion, its my life and yeah I want to die and I like hurtin myself because I hate myself. the only thing thats keepin me alive is teh guilt they make me feel. I keep cuttin and I want to keep it up but they alays see I. how can I cut without them seeing it?

Although I do not condone cutting because it's self mutilation, I understand what you're going through (kinda). Pretty much, I've had friends who cut and apparently it's not THAT uncommon among young teenage girls. You obviously like the pain that it brings you. I never fully understood it, but I do know it's an addiction. I'm sure there are things that are worth living for, especially since you have not committed suicide yet, and I hope you never will. You are young and, 'have much to live for.' (I'm sure you've heard that before, but it's VERY true). Teenage years are usually the worst. You'll get through it if you do not let all the bad sh!t consume your life.

What you need to do is find ways around the hurt you're feeling. I'd recommend writing (which you seem to already be doing), find some hobbies (sports, clubs, music, etc.). You pretty much need to relax and mellow out. Try exercising, maybe doing yoga or some sh!t. The best thing to do is talk to someone about it, which seems to be excatly what you're doing. Props girl. :D

However, 'if this is all going in one ear and out the other,' and you still like the pain, do something constructive with it: such as getting piercings (do them yourself if you have to, but I'd recommend finding the right ways to do them online). You may not feel like this now but once you're through this phase (which I hope you eventually will be), you don't want a lasting memory of your sh!tty years in the form of scars, it's not good, nor is it healthy.

And now what you were asking... (please do not disregard any of the other stuff I told you, I highly recommend you take it into consideration... PLEASE) If you don't want them to see you then don't do it around them, duh. Do it in the bathroom, or when they go to bed. Carry a small razor blade around with you (don't do it in school, cause if you get caught then it could and most likely WILL open up a nasty can of worms and make things worse). Do not cut in places where they could see (such as your wrists). Try the thighs or lower hips.

That's about all the help I can give you. I hope things look up for you. Take care. :D
If you need someone to talk to then feel free to e-mail me at Fun mail me

thanks that was real helpful. I just got outa pych ward a month ago and my family gets real mad whenever I cut but I mean theyll lie for me so that I dont go into a pysch ward again. thanks ill try the thighs ot lower hip thing thankz!

A lot of cutters have found this article helpful: http://www.kidshealt...

If you've been cutting and you want to stop, here are some approaches that might help you.

For people who cut, doing something different may be a big change. Making this change can take time because you are learning new ways of dealing with the things that led you to cut. The tips you'll see below can get you started. But a therapist or counselor can do more to help you heal old hurt and use your strengths to cope with life's struggles.

Start by being aware of which situations are likely to trigger your urge to cut. Make a commitment that this time you will not follow the urge, but will do something else instead.

Then make a plan for what you will do instead of cutting when you feel this urge.

Below are some tips you can try when you feel the urge to cut. We've put them into several categories because different people cut for different reasons. So certain techniques will work better for some people than others.

Look through all the tips and try the ones that you think might work for you. You may need to experiment because not all of these ideas will work for everyone. For example, some readers have told us that snapping a rubber band works for them as a substitute for cutting but others say that the rubber band triggers an urge to snap it too hard and they end up hurting themselves.

If one tip isn't right for you, that's OK. Use your creativity to find a better idea. Or talk with your therapist to get other ideas on what could work for you. The idea is to find a substitute for cutting — something that satisfies a need you might feel without being as harmful as cutting.

You may also find that one of these ideas works for you sometimes but not always. That's OK too. What a person needs can vary from time to time and from situation to situation.

Following the techniques listed below will help you think about why you might cut. The more you learn about what's underneath your cutting behavior, the better you will be able to understand and develop healthy ways to heal that pain.

Things That Might Distract You

Like all urges, the urge to cut will pass if you wait it out. Distracting yourself with something else helps time go by and gets your mind off the urge to cut. The more you wait out the urge without giving in, the more your urges will decrease over time.

Here are some things you can try while waiting for a cutting urge to pass:

* call a friend and talk about something completely different
* take a shower (make sure you don't have razors in the shower)
* go for a walk or run, take a bike ride, dance like crazy, or get some other form of exercise
* play with a pet
* watch TV (change the channel if the show gets upsetting or features cutting)
* drink a glass of water

Things That Might Soothe and Calm You

Sometimes people cut because they're agitated or angry — even though they may not recognize that feeling. If that's true for you, it can help to do something calming when you feel the need to cut.

Even if you're not sure why you're cutting, it's worth giving these ideas a try:

* play with a pet
* take a shower (make sure you don't have razors in the shower)
* take a bath (make sure you don't have razors near the tub)
* listen to soothing music that will shift your mood
* try a breathing exercise
* try some relaxing yoga exercises

Things That Might Help You Express the Pain and Deep Emotion

Some people cut because the emotions that they feel seem way too powerful and painful to handle. Often, it may be hard for them to recognize these emotions for what they are — like anger, sadness, or other feelings. Here are some alternatives to cutting that you can try:

* draw or scribble designs on paper using a red pen or paint on white paper — if it helps, make the paint drip
* write out your hurt, anger, or pain using a pen and paper
* draw the pain
* compose songs or poetry to express what you're feeling
* listen to music that talks about how you feel

Things That Might Help Release Physical Tension and Distress

Sometimes, doing things that express anger or release tension can help a person gradually move away from cutting. Try these ideas:

* go for a walk or run, ride a bike, dance like crazy, or get some other form of exercise
* rip up some paper
* write out your hurt, anger, or pain using a pen and paper
* scribble on paper using a red pen
* squeeze, knead, or smoosh a stress ball, handful of clay, or Play-Doh

Things That Might Help You Feel Supported and Connected

If you cut because you feel alone, misunderstood, unloved, or disconnected, these ideas may help:

* call a friend
* play with a pet
* make a cup of tea, some warm milk, or cocoa
* try some yoga exercises that help you feel grounded, such as triangle pose
* try a breathing exercise like the one in the button above
* curl up on your bed in a soft, cozy blanket

Things That Are Substitutes for the Cutting Sensation

You'll notice that all the tips in the lists above have nothing to do with the cutting sensation. When you have the idea to self-injure, start by trying the ideas on those lists — such as making art, walking your dog, or going for run.

If they don't help, move on to the substitute behaviors shown below.

These substitute behaviors won't work for everyone. They also don't help people get in touch with why they are cutting. What they do is provide immediate relief in a way that doesn't involve cutting, and therefore holds less risk of harm.

* rub an ice cube on your skin instead of cutting it
* wear a rubber band around your wrist and snap it gently against your skin
* draw on the skin with a soft-tipped red pen in the place you might usually cut

Cutting can be a difficult pattern to break. But it is possible. If you want help overcoming a self-injury habit and you're having trouble finding anything that works for you, talk with a therapist. Getting professional help to overcome the problem doesn't mean that someone is weak or crazy. Therapists and counselors are trained to help people discover inner strengths that help them heal. These inner strengths can then be used to cope with life's problems in a healthy way.

Reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
Date reviewed: February 2006

I dont know but please stop doing what you are doing and get help you do not need to die dying and cutting yourself is not the rite answer try talking about your feelings to your preacher or try continuting writiing your feelings out on paper instead of cutting and trying to kill yourself bc what you are doing its not worth it at all so please stop this nonscense

wel, just cut higher, thats what I did. but, if your really serious about cutting yourself... =[
(I use something serated \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/) get your most prefered, effective cutting tool, find your pulse, and cut your wrists until the blade (or whatever ) is really into you, and theres pooling of blood. but I dont reccomend it, just cut higher, and (no offence,) suck it up, just like me (I luv cutting!)

Thanks for being sooo positive Theodoh!
PFFF. that pisses me off.

why don't you all just get together and kill yourselfs.
Get HELP! Hello??

sorry, but your idea of 'help' just killed me inside with guilt. Its really hard not to keep cutting, I know, but try not to. I heard 'snapping' (when you take a rubber band and snap it on your wrist) is supposed to work, but I didnt for me. just try not to, and your parents will be pleased, and if that doesnt work, have you tried the front of your body, or your sholders? one of the kids at my old school did it on her thighs

I cut my shoulders and wrists, I cover it up by wearing shirts with sleeves and wrist bands. its bad to cut, but I know its hard to stop its an addiction, just like ciggarettes and such.

everyone might say to just do it on the thighs or stomach or upper arms or w/e but that didn't work for me either.
what will you do if you ever go swimming? I always hafta wear shorts now whenever I swim because my thighs/upper legs look awful. and I can never wear any cap sleeve shirts or tank tops because my upper arms look bad. my stomach too (though I don't usually go around showing it off :P ). and you can never have anyone touch you around those areas shortly thereafter, like you can never wrestle anyone because it hurts so bad and will open back up, or like there was a kid at school once who was just messing around and punched me in the leg and made me wince because it hurt so bad. and now I can't change in the locker rooms, I always hafta use the bathrooms. it just all around sucks, it's not worth the hassle.
my conclusion? there's no good place to do it. trust me, I've tried. I know it's hard to stop, but you just hafta keep on trying. if you ever want to talk you can always funmail/e-mail me.
and read these song lyrics too, I think they're pretty encouraging to keep on trying: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/sixxam/accidentscanhappen.html

hi,
I used to cut and have tried to stop. I know what yu are going through,
I moved in with this family about 7 years ago after a violent and traumatic early few years, and have been cutting ever since. my 'mum and dad' founce out because sum grl @ school told them and they took me to see a councellor and sh*t. the thing is, you get everybody saying oh stop it yu are so selfish, all yu du it 4 is attention, if yu think yur life is bad try being grounded for a mounth, and yu just think, yu havent seen the worst of it mate. I have tried many times 2 kill my self and almost succeeded last night but my 'brother' came in and took me down. I suggest 2 things, either yu try and go see a nurse or docter confidently and priveratly, or end it. hanging yur self is a good one, over dose, but be careful because, as I have learnt, it doesnot always work and then they all find out you tried to kill your self.
cutting the back of your wrists really deep works too, and so does cutting yur neck really deep.
make sure it is really deep because I tried and didnt go eep enought to kill me

good luck and what ever you do, make sure it is the right decision for you.
email me on Fun mail me or Fun mail me or fun mail me before yu make a decision

xx

DON'T try to hide it and keep cutting...it will eat you away inside because every day of acting like nothing nothing wrongs is a lie and you will know it. tell someone it doesn't have to be your parents, you could tell your closest friend and they will help you through it...and don't listen to people who have never been through it...they don't know what they are talking about...the best thing to do is tell someone...I have been through a lot of crap in my life and I thought I could solve everything by cutting but it only made things worse...my mom put me in the pyhc ward and through all my stuff out...I live with my brother now..she wants me home but the reason I was cutting was because my step-dad was abuseing and I stayed there to protect my mom cause when I was there and he would get drunk he would take his anger out on me and not her..but now I'm gone and I have stopped cutting because I'm with people that care enough to help me...there is someone out there that can help you stop,but they can't help you if you hide it from them...there is no reason to hide it from people that you care about...and thats the only way to know if someone truely cares...so tell someone and if they cast you out then they didn't really care, but if they help you stop then they care and they can help you stop and make your life better. Don't keep hiding it.

I used to cut well im in the proses of stopping but you cant really hide that from the ones you love because I garentee that they probably will find out with out even knowing that you cout because of the way you might be acting... get help or talk to your parents... or to a really close friend .. or even write in a journal.. youknow? get all the bad feelings out.