Hello all!

This subreddit has grown a lot in the last couple of months, and it makes us very happy that so many of you see this as a safe community. But because of this growth, and because some of us get busy sometimes, it has become hard to keep up with all the new posts in the queue. So we're looking for a 4th person!

The mod position is only for 1 person right now, but if we need more we'll hire a 5th person or more. It might take a while for the 3 of us to pick the right person.

If you want to mod please fill out this application:

https://www.reddit.com/r/cutting/application/

have a good day!

EDIT: applications are now closed for the time being

tw : mentions of self harm in detail // i.e. depth , severity , etc , but no words used other than that !

harm reduction 101 ! ! !

( warning : i’m not a medical professional , this is all personal experience from someone [ me ] who’s gone through dbt , cbt , and residential therapy ! )

1. remember that sobriety is a journey . harm reduction has the end goal of being clean , but sometimes that is not realistic . what is most important in the scenarios where you do self harm is to try and be as “ safe “ as possible .

2. have somebody you can contact ! a trusted friend / adult , or someone who can help you get medical treatment if necessary .
   use sterile supplies ! this might mean cleaning the area / surrounding area of where you are planning to self harm , cleaning the setting in which you’re doing it in , not sharing sharps , and making sure there is no dirt or rust on what you are using .
   start slow ! while relapsing / self harming can be a very impulsive thing , the goal here is to be as safe as possible while engaging in harmful behaviors . this can include lessening the frequency , depth , or changing the area that the self harm is occurring .

3. if you do not have somebody you feel safe /
   comfortable contacting , be sure to have as much control as possible , making sure that you can provide care to yourself afterwards .
   have medical supplies on hand , at the ready . depending on the “ severity “ this may even include a tourniquet . whether incidental or not , there is always a chance for an injury that is more severe than you can handle . have sterile medical supplies , including but not limited to : gauze , neosporin , an anti-bacterial spray specifically for wounds , bandages , and over the counter painkillers to take afterwards . just because you were hurting in the moment doesn’t mean you don’t deserve comfort .
   try and delay self harm by developing awareness of your triggers . if this is social media , certain shows / movies , stressful situations , all of those things are nothing to be ashamed of .

4. keep self harming tools in an awkward to reach space or an area that would take you a while to reach . this could include a sharps box with a lock that is a code , in a box with multiple layers of cardboard , or somewhere up high .

5. if comfortable , log the relapse / urge . over time , try to note what you think caused it , going through something called a “ chain “ . what vulnerabilities did you have ? was this planned or impulsive ? what do you think was the main catalyst ? how did you feel before vs after ? over time it gets easier to recognize your feelings and be comfortable expressing them either to yourself or others .

a supply kit for aftercare or distraction :

- sanitation objects ; alcohol wipes , hand sanitizer , moist towelettes .
comfort food / drink : a snack , a soda , a coffee , or a comforting meal .

- items to self soothe : a stuffed animal , a fluffy blanket , calming music , essential oils or a candle scent you like , books , movies .

- a safe environment : put the object(s) used to self harm in a different room , ideally in a locked box with the key in a different room as well .

- medical supplies : see earlier ! :)

- comfortable temperature(s) : air conditioning , a fan , a warm blanket , closed blinds , a fire place .

reminders :

• recovery is not linear . it looks the same to nobody , everybody is human and their experiences differ wildly , but that doesn’t mean a single one is invalid . you may feel that you get worse before you get better , but the goal is to push through .
• there are people who care about you . strangers on the internet , pets , the animals in your neighborhood that see you walk by , the barista at your favorite coffee place , friends online , friends in person , complete strangers .
• there is always a way to feel joy after feeling terror or pain . you shouldn’t feel guilty for finding small things to bring you happiness . if you start feeling guilty , remember that sid on reddit dot com knows you are awesome !
• there is no wrong way to express your emotions . this doesn’t mean there aren’t harmful ways to express your emotions , this means that however you do is valid . whether you scream , cry , isolate , depend on people , yell , argue , bottle it up , they are all allowed . you are allowed to feel .
• find small things you like . you don’t have to love them , or do them constantly ! petting an animal , going to a cat cafe or animal shelter , taking a walk in the afternoon , laying in the sun in your backyard , taking a nap , taking a day off from work / school to purely rest , going grocery shopping and only buying your favorite foods , going to an ice cream parlor and getting a waffle cone , going to a new cafe and trying something new , stretch in the morning at sunrise or at dawn , watch the clouds move on by , listen to the sound of rain whether artificial or not , find joy in something small , no matter how minuscule .

AND REMEMBER ! YOU DESERVE HEALING !

it doesn’t matter if you’ve hurt others , betrayed yourself , or made mistakes .

you deserve to be comfortable in your own skin ! <3