Everything for me developed after my Stroke in 2021. I am still struggling to cope with the loss of my left side and stuff just spirals. '
Self Harm - I often bite the fleshy bit of my hand between thumb and index finger, when Im traumatised, health professionals tell me to stop . 0ne nurse even yanked my hand out of my mouth. They dont realise that concentrating on the pain of the bite is better than focussing on the reality of my life now.
I remember doing a workshop on self-harm. There were people there from a number of different professions. I was quite surprised by how so many had no idea how to deal with a person who practices SH. With that in mind, I'm not overly surprised that a nurse didn't handle your situation well at all.
I was only attending the course to have the certificate, but I remember recounting my personal experience of SH to the other attendees, and it really helped them understand why people do it and what not to do in response.
A lot of people don't know how to respond to it, and their instant go-to is to tell you to stop. I think that's as much to alleviate their own discomfort rather than yours, though. I've never told anyone to stop. Thing is, address the source of the trauma and the SH stops by itself. SH is not the problem. It's a reaction
to the problem. Identify the problem(s) and deal with them, and the need for the coping strategy diminishes accordingly.
I've read you talking about your stroke on here. I can't even imagine what it's like to be in your position. I also hope I never find out for myself. What I do think I understand, though, is your grief. Because that's pretty much what you are going through. Grieving for the life you once had. I don't envy you that the task of dealing with that. What I will say is that you've got guts, and I take my hat off to you.
Take care, eh.
Recent Posts