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

Hi! as people rather do not care about safety , ill gladly help people with after care on cuts and wounds , this guide can be used on any wound.
any questions will be answered , please just comment.

CUTS AND HOW TO CLEAN THEM.

1. cat-scratches (aka, epidermis)

• epidermis cuts can be identified by a scratch looking cut, it closely resembles a ‘cat scratch’, hence the name. epidermis infection levels are low.

• to tend to a epidermis cut, you can wash it with warm water, and let it heal.

1. styros (aka, dermis)

• dermis cuts can be identified by the white layer that shows up before blood starts filling the cut. regular styros are not too prone to infection, but it can happen.

• to care for a dermis cut, you can dampen a towel with warm water, and lightly pat at the cut. afterwards, apply antibiotic ointment (ex; neosporin, aquaphor, vaseline) around the cut and put bandaid ontop.

1. beans (aka, fat/hypodermis)

• bean cuts can be identified by yellow/orangey bubbles inside the cut. bean cuts, if not well taken care of, are very prone to an infection.

• to clean and confirm your cut wont get infected, clean out with water, (NOT with a papertowel or napkin.) apply ointment AROUND cut, and cover with bandage so debris cant get inside.

1. laffy taffy (aka, muscle)

• muscle cuts are at a very high risk for an infection, and absolutely require stitches. please let a medical worker know and have them assist your cut. and infection at this level could be deathly.

• to care for laffy taffy at home, seal shut with steri strips/make steri strips to close the wound as best as possible. medical attention is highly recommended

.5. bone: “bedrock”a wound that exposes bone is an extremely serious injury. if you can see bone or suspect the injury has reached it, seek emergency medical care immediately.these injuries carry a very high risk of infection, significant blood loss, and damage surrounding muscles, tendons, nerves and blood vessels.while waiting for medical help, cover the wound with a clean dressing if available and avoid putting pressure directly on any exposed bone. do not peek !!! you cannot heal this injury by yourself. please, for the love of god, call an ambulance and stop reading shedtwt threads or reddit posts about it.

1. bruises

bruises happen when small blood vessels beneath the skin are damaged, causing blood to collect under the surface. apply a cold pack or ice wrapped in a cloth for 10–20 minutes at a time during the first 24 hours to help reduce the pain or swelling.

avoid placing ice directly on your skin, as this can cause a cold injury or frostbite.

after the first couple of days, switching to a warm compress or heat pack may help improve blood flow and support the healing process.

1. burns

for minor burns, cool the area under cool running water for 20 minutes as soon as possible. avoid using ice, butter, toothpaste, or other home remedies, as these can make the injury worse. once the burn has been cooled, cover it with a clean, non-stick dressing or plastic wrap to protect it.

call emergency services immediately if the burn:

was caused by chemicals or electricity.

affects the face, major joints or airways.

is deep, charred, white, leathery, or otherwise appears to be a full-thickness (third degree) burn.

is very large or if the person is having trouble breathing.

INFECTION INFO
“what causes infections? how can i identify and tend to infections?”

**CAUSES*\*

infections can occur by not taking proper care of the wound, not changing bandages, or getting something inside.

**IDENTIFYING*\*

identifying infections in the early stage can be easy, you can spot infections by yellow/green pus near the area, or if the cut is a fleshy glossy pink in the cut. you can feel the infection by it being hot to the touch, or swelling around the area.

**GETTING RID OF*\*

change out bandages within 12–24 hours. apply ointment *AROUND* cut, and cover with bandage to ensure no debris gets inside.

SUPPLIES
“where can i buy medical supplies?”

any drugstore, pharmacy, or Walmart

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!! PLEASE STAY SAFE.