Help where to sh

[mizisua]

first post kinda nervous lol. ive been clean for a couple months now, cant recall how many but enough for all my scars to have faded. but im not tryna recover or shit, hell after every little thing that goes wrong i have the urge to relapse. i just dont cause im usually too lazy or scared.

i have no interest in going deeper than cat scratches or hitting anything major that could end up in stitches or whatever. instead most of my urges come from anxiety attacks when i need something thatll calm me down or after i accidentally hurt somebody and i need to be punished. i just want to know where to cut (mainly on the arm) where i wont hit anything like a vein. i usually just cut enough to barely break skin and bleed, which probably isnt even close to deep enough to hit a vein, but im still nervous. its why i usually cut higher near my elbow where i cant see the veins. eases my nerves. just want somebody to either tell me where to cut or confirm that i wont hit anything. also a little off the main topic but im also looking for tips on hiding it too, i usually wear long sleeves and pants while out but short sleeves and shorts at home. i dont have foundation but maybe i should invest in some to cover up cuts??

 

[bekilledorkill]

do you have a pet? If so, you can use bandages and pretend that your cat/dog scratched you. Wearing long sleeves seems like your best bet though.

 

[ketopia]

In the interest of harm reduction I'll offer you my method. I'll dip the handle of a metal butterknife into boiling water and press the hot handle into my skin on my arms or thighs. It hurts enough to pull me out of a spiral, but without lasting damage. There will be a reddish pink burn mark that will be tender for a day and then fade after a couple days, no lasting scars.

It started because I used to work in kitchens and I'd sh by pressing my arm against metal pans that I took out of the oven. Boiling water handle is faster, more sanitary, more discrete, and just as effective.

 

[Dot]

Self Harm Resources

This post is written by @Dot, I am just the messenger Self Harm It's known that there are many users on the forum who self harm for different reasons. This thread is focused mostly on habitual or impulsive/physical self harm. This thread has not been made for any glorification of self harm...

sanctioned-suicide.net

 

[flimsythrowaway234]

I always used a dull, serrated knife to tear the fronts of my shins. You can't cut very deep because of the tibia, but it hurts like a bitch. The area is also very easy to cover as well as make excuses for.

 

[rainwillneverstop]

I will keep thread up, but please remember that it isn't about encouraging SH but if you have info that could help with harm reduction then im sure op would appreciate.

 

[Lady Laudanum]

If you're not cutting deep, you're unlikely to actually hit a vein and cause a significant amount of bleeding. However, there is no additional harm in avoiding areas where you can see the veins through your skin.

Do keep in mind though, even if you don't hit a vein, you may still end up needing stitches if the edges of the cut don't stay together on their own. If you're going to cut yourself, harm reduction tips include using a new blade every time, sanitizing the blade and the area you're cutting beforehand (note the distinction between sanitizing and sterilizing), as well as being diligent with treatment. Treatment would include keeping the area clean and covered with sterile bandages, changing them regularly, and watching for signs of infection (increasing pain and swelling, redness, cloudy fluid leaking from cuts, fever, red streaks appearing around the cut, etc).

If you have to ask whether you need stitches or whether you have an infection, I recommend seeking medical attention because in a medical context it's better to overreact to a minor thing than to overlook a major thing. Going to urgent care or a walk-in clinic would be more appropriate than going to the ER, unless you have severe bleeding or signs of sepsis. In that case, go to the ER.

Bleeding from a vein is going to be a steady flow of dark red blood, and bleeding from an artery is going to be brighter red and spurting. Signs of sepsis can include fever or hypothermia, chills, fast heart rate, fast breathing or difficulty breathing, confusion, extreme pain, cold sweats, reduced urine output, and a rash that is dark red or purple. Severe bleeding can kill you for obvious reasons, and sepsis can lead to shock then death if it's not treated promptly.

 

[Meowmeownextweek]

its tough to cut deep enough to hit a vein. superficial cuts are your best bet if you dont want noticeable scarring, i never cut deep enough to hit any veins but still have some scars that are over 10 years old and still noticeable because they healed as keloids. be careful if you want to prevent that.

edit: also i love alnst!

 

[alwaysalone]

Sounds stupid but since you don't cut deep maybe instead use a rubber band or book on your shin? I don't know sorry I wish I could help

In the interest of harm reduction I'll offer you my method. I'll dip the handle of a metal butterknife into boiling water and press the hot handle into my skin on my arms or thighs. It hurts enough to pull me out of a spiral, but without lasting damage. There will be a reddish pink burn mark that will be tender for a day and then fade after a couple days, no lasting scars.

It started because I used to work in kitchens and I'd sh by pressing my arm against metal pans that I took out of the oven. Boiling water handle is faster, more sanitary, more discrete, and just as effective.

Burns are so dangerous though. You never worried about infection???

In the interest of harm reduction I'll offer you my method. I'll dip the handle of a metal butterknife into boiling water and press the hot handle into my skin on my arms or thighs. It hurts enough to pull me out of a spiral, but without lasting damage. There will be a reddish pink burn mark that will be tender for a day and then fade after a couple days, no lasting scars.

It started because I used to work in kitchens and I'd sh by pressing my arm against metal pans that I took out of the oven. Boiling water handle is faster, more sanitary, more discrete, and just as effective.

Burns are so dangerous though. You never worried about infection???

 

[EvisceratedJester]

It doesn't matter where on your arm that you are cutting since you aren't going to hit a vein by doing cat scratches. You would need to be cutting deeper than that in order for it to be of any concern.

 

[Namelesa]

If you going to cut on your arm then do it on the outer arm and never the wrist. Outer arm is harder to hit vein on. Of course as others say risk of infection still applies so make sure to clean them. I personally cut on my outer forearm and use arm warmers to hide them when I want to. (don't listen to this part, @EvisceratedJester honestly knows best with self harm) I put a tissue around the cut before putting the arm warmer tho so it can't touch the cut.

 

[EvisceratedJester]

If you going to cut on your arm then do it on the outer arm and never the wrist. Outer arm is harder to hit vein on. Of course as others say risk of infection still applies so make sure to clean them. I personally cut on my outer forearm and use arm warmers to hide them when I want to. I put a tissue around the cut before putting the arm warmer tho so it can't touch the cut.

Do not put tissues on your cuts. That can increase the chance of infection due to the risks of bits of tissue getting into the cut. Generally, you should apply pressure to the cut using something like a gauze pad or a clean cloth.