Getting to sick to my stomach when I self harm

[OliviaGarden__]

I've self-harmed for about 3 years now, and with my life getting particularly rough lately, its gotten pretty bad, and I've noticed that I've been getting sick to my stomach whenever I cut lately. I'm not sensitive to blood whatsoever, so I'm wondering if its a physical or mental thing. The easiest way to prevent this would be to stop cutting, but that hasn't exactly worked out. Any explanation on why this happens?

[kenster1]

hi people who cut do it to release pain within.when they see blood it actually feels like its healed the pain inside that they feel.has your therapist helped you to deal with your feelings and things that you could do.put ice on your arm even draw your arm red wear a rubber band on your arm that's just some things I seen on you tube.

[OliviaGarden__ in reply to kenster1]

I've actually never been to a therapist. I do not claim to have anxiety or depression due to the fact I've never been diagnosed, but I've been self-harming a lot lately, so I figured this forum would be the best guess. I haven't tried the ice method yet, but I will soon, thank you.

[gerg]

I don’t know anything about self harming, I was into self destruction. I imagine that both are used for the same thing, to feel something. It didn’t work for me.

There could be several reasons why the cutting makes you feel sick, but I think that it is more important to just know that it does. Your mind and body are trying to get your attention and tell you something, probably that cutting is not the answer to your problems. It’s like drinking to solve your problems and then you puke. It doesn’t change the problems, but the good news is that you feel much worse than you did with the original problem.

I worked to improve my self esteem, and to feel good about things. It was not easy, but self destruction was not getting it done.

[OliviaGarden__ in reply to gerg]

Ok thank you, I'll work on it

[melantha]

Lately I’ve been going through a particularly rough time too. For me it’s more the suicidal thoughts that come creeping in, and as I started to actually seriously think that I might give in, I started to get sick to my stomach as well. It was sickening to me to think how awful that would be to my family and how I could possibly do that to them. I was sick with myself for the thoughts I was having. Perhaps that is what is happening with you too? Maybe because part of you feels that it is wrong to self harm, you are sick at the fact you are doing it? Just a thought. I could be entirely wrong.

[OliviaGarden__ in reply to melantha]

I hope your situation gets better. That may be it, but I'm not entirely sure.

[melantha in reply to OliviaGarden__]

Thanks. Same to you ❤️

[itakenaps]

If it is too much to answer this you don’t have to. What kind of state are you in when you are cutting? Do you feel numb, or are you in the midst of a panic attack? Some people just vomit in stressful situations. So if you are freaking out and panicking that might be why you get sick. The body is a strange thing. 😬

[OliviaGarden__ in reply to itakenaps]

Panicky sorta, now that i think about it, your explanation does make sense, thanks

[itakenaps in reply to OliviaGarden__]

No problem. I used to self harm. I would do it to stop the circling thoughts in my head. So sometimes I would be panicking and have to cut to make myself calm down. Usually id feel pretty sick too just from all the adrenaline I guess, never actually threw up though. It does get better. Hang in there.

[Ripley7]

Not sure what type of sick you’re referring to but makes me wonder if the stress of the particular situation(s) or the action of self harming - or even both- could be triggering symptoms of IBS- or irritable bowel syndrome.

Another thought is maybe self harm is no longer working as a go-to for relief of some of that stress.

If you aren’t already seeing a counselor I would definitely suggest you do so, so that they can help you come up with coping mechanisms that are safer and more effective than self harming.

Coming from someone who self harms, as well - I’m definitely a work in progress myself. My thoughts are with you. Hang in there, my friend. ❤️

[OliviaGarden__]

Thank you! I've always gotten stomach aches when I get nervous, and a while back, my mom mentioned something about IBS, so this makes a lot of sense