TRIGGER WARNING — mentioning of self-harm behaviors
My anxiety level has been through the roof the last two days. Yesterday, I went to a basketball game with my dad and LarBear, and totally lost my shit in front of an arena full of people. I tried to calm down for awhile, sitting outside smoking a cigarette, and then sitting in a folding chair in the hallway. I couldn’t calm down enough, with a combination of Klonopin PRN and talking to my mom and breathing exercises, and gave up and left the game mid-way through the second game.
I felt like a failure for not being able to go back into the game, but all I could say was, “I’m losing my shit” over and over. I was shaking, my chest hurt, my mind raced ten times more than normal. I was having a panic attack and nothing I did could make it subside. Sometimes the only safe place is home.
And sometimes, home isn’t safe. It’s been another day of high anxieties. I noticed today that I have been using my gum floss pick to destroy my mouth. And then sitting it down for five minutes, but having itchy fingers and picking it up over and over. As I sat with anxiety higher than I could stand, I noticed my mouth was full of blood.
And so I picked away some more, because, DAMMIT, it felt good. And bad. And like SOMETHING, all at one time.
I did eventually point this out to LarBear, and he took them away, but my little secret is that I know where he hid them. I’m not even thinking totally logically, because while I know its a bad idea, there is such a sense of relief.
I haven’t self-harmed in years, before this all started up again. Its funny (oh except not-so-funny) how easy it is to fall back into old patterns. Just the other day, I took all the skin off the pads of my fingers, just like I used to do in high school, because it was soothing.
That’s sick, people. Removing skin from your body should not be soothing. But it is. Jabbing a sharp object into bleeding gums over and over should not be soothing, but it is. I don’t want to devolve into some other self-harming behavior, namely bulimia, but I suppose anything is possible.
Life is so different than it used to be. My support system is different, my day-to-day life is different, winter is different. I have to adjust, I have to adapt. I am having a hard time doing so.
I didn’t want to put this out there, this bit about self-harm, but I think if I am going to be truly honest (and I want to be), then I have to.
It’s something I’m going to bring up in my next therapy session and its something I will have to explain more to the LarBear. Just because its happening doesn’t mean I need to go to the hospital. I’m not at that level yet, and hopefully won’t get there.
Changes, changes, changes. All things must change, and this is another one of those things that’s gotta go. I am giving myself an atta girl for recognizing the problem, and now just need to focus on ways to avoid these problem behaviors.
Hang in there, Rose.
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Hanging in…thanks!
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Breathe. Hang on. It will be better.
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Thanks. A wait and see thing.
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Hugs xox
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Hugs xx
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Oh sweetie… This is no bueno, NO BUENO. You know how to find me, don’t hesitate to do so. ❤
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Mucho no bueno, dear. I know where you are coming from though and you know where to find me…
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I am sorry that this series of setbacks has befallen you. Remember that it doesn’t define you and it doesn’t mean that all the progress you’ve made in life is erased. It’s just a small setback and you can start over any time. You don’t need to go allllll the way down. Just start over. Wherever you are. I am with you. Let me know what else I can do for you. bipolaronfire@gmail.com You are loved and valued here and things will get better.
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Being able to recognize the behaviour and being able to share it is an accomplishment, and in these circles we take what we can get…plus it’s so interesting that as you described your self-harm method of choice it did make me realize how some of my behaviors are self-harming and I wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t been brave enough to share yours. So thank you for your strength.
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Aww Rose, I’m sorry this is happening. Hang in there, there are people around you who can help you (as far as I can see).
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