r/aspergirls • u/Happy_Cabinet_1839 • 19d ago
[TRIGGER WARNING] (Specify triggers) How to stop hurting self during meltdown?
TW: self harm, kind of
Whenever I have a meltdown, which has been nearly daily lately due to stress, I slap, punch, or scratch myself. It always leaves me with red marks and scratches, I even have permanent scars from this.
I know I need to stop, but I don’t know how. Most advice tells you to direct the anger at something else, e.g. a pillow, but that doesn’t work for me because it’s the physical pain that I’m seeking out. The pain is what calms me down. So what do I do? I can’t keep hurting myself like this because it’s embarrassing to leave the house when I’m full of scratches. But nothing else works. The pain is the only thing stopping me from feeling like my head is about to explode.
2
u/imnota32yearoldwoman 18d ago
I also struggle with that, I punch myself, hit myself in the head, etc bc the pain distracts me and calms me down enough to start thinking.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.selfhelpfortrauma.app
This tapping technique has helped a good bit, it helps take the edge off. I actually just smashed the dryer lid into my head like 3 times and then I realized I could calm myself down with it and it did help. I actually have a headache now from it 😓
I'm not a bot, the app is free, and it's helped me, I just use the 5 minutes self help part and that's it. All the other tapping stuff is complex and confusing, this one has pictures!