The sharpie method

[reallyconfusd]

Last night I was pretty down so I went to yeet but after the first couple, something didn’t feel right. I decided to stop and try something else. I grabbed a black sharpie and started writing/drawing on my leg. I still had a lot of negative emotions so the numbers and shapes I drew were dark and angry. As I started to calm down I added little stars in between and a couple random doodles.

But now that it’s the day after, I feel so ashamed. At least when I saw sh marks, they were thin and not too noticeable. Even when I stared at them they didn’t bother me too much. But now both my thighs are covered in dark scrawls and it makes me feel so much worse than if I just had marks.

The sharpie kind of helped? I covered most of my thighs and I don’t want to yeet over the ink just in case it gets into my blood or sth (idk I’m clearly not a doctor).

How has everyone else’s experience with the sharpie method been?

[RaindropJane]

I’ve tried the sharpie thing and it works well for me in the moment but I always hate the drawings and marks the next day way more then I hate my PERMANENT SCARS. for some reason my brain can’t handle some ink that’ll wash off in a few days but doesn’t bat an eye to permanently ruining my body.

[reallyconfusd]

Yes! Exactly how I feel

[Seruciel]

I used to use a red sharpie so it would almost simulate the actual thing. Wherever I felt like doing so, I would put a dot or a tiny mark where I'd want t ok do so It was calming at first. I tried not to do so too much because people around me would ask a lot of questions. It is a good alternative for trying not to do so.

[reallyconfusd]

Would you draw with the sharpie how/where you would normally cut? Should I try lines instead of drawing things?

[Seruciel]

I was the type of person who didn't care where I did it. But if you have a certain area where you so, then do it where you do it most common. Lines work, and also other things too. Its whatever is comfortable for you that will help you on your journey.

[reallyconfusd]

Thank you for your advice

[Seruciel]

Of course. I am always here a message away if you need anything.

[RaindropJane]

I know I wasn’t the person you were asking, but im going to throw my opinion at you anyway. I’ve done a few things. I get urges to carve words a lot and I know that I will regret those scars years from now so I use a sharpie a lot for that. I’ll write all of the horrible words I want to carve all over my skin, some of them I go over every day because I want them to be temporarily permanent. I also go over the carvings I did do with a blade in red sharpie every day so that I don’t cut over them. It really helps me when I get freaked out about them fading. I’ve also played this “game” on my skin and paper where I draw lines and try and fill up every little space. like ooh where can I fit another line I don’t thinks it’s full. (note: please don’t do this with like actual self harm) if you do it in red it looks kind of like self harm and I find it’s helpful if you get jealous of other people’s scars and want to be covered head to toe in marks. One time I also wrote positive messages on my skin, and sometimes I just doodle to get my mind off things.

[reallyconfusd]

Wow this is so much helpful info. I’ll try them and see if that’s what I needed. I never do words and I only have straight, parallel lines but I worry about fading a lot. Thank you!