So I have been more open about my struggle with self injury with a loved one… but also I feel as though while it’s a way to cope and have a physical release, I didn’t self-harm for a long time when I was engaged in “adrenaline pumping activities.” Action sports, racing bikes, etc. I was clean for a long time. Now I don’t participate in them and it truly seems that without that extreme release I get stressed easier and I have relapsed with self harm several times. I am SO SICK of the cycle of hurting myself and I am wondering if anyone has had a similar experience or has any ideas. I’ve tried to be a runner, etc. and that stuff just does not cut it for me (I just can’t get the motivation to run for long periods of time). I am hoping that investing in something new that’s a release will be good and also help my insomnia. Just looking for suggestions because self harming is getting old and I want to stop… I just feel addicted and it makes me so angry and exhausted.
Hey, Ben_Solo!
I HIGHLY recommend hot power yoga.
I’ve been doing it for a year now, and whenever I was highly involved I slept better, felt better/stronger, and never self-harmed.
It relieves depression and anxiety, and is great for detoxing the mind and body.
Recently, I’ve become less motivated and kind of relapsed back into self - harm, so I can relate to this.
I recommend looking into Baron Baptise’s books / YouTube videos. Maybe even finding a local Baptiste Affiliated Yoga Studio.
I hope this helps. 
@Ben_Solo thank you for sharing this. I’m glad that you are able to be more open with someone close to you. Something I know one of my friends has done is set up an “emergency word” which they message to their trusted person and when they feel an urge coming on and/or need to talk. Maybe this is something you can try - especially if your trusted person is someone who lives close by. As a self-harmer I know that in those moments you feel like nothing else is going to give you relief… You think you’d exhausted all your options and the only thing that is going to help is that physical pain. I personally have relapsed several times with my self harm because I’ve given into those urges instead of speaking to the people that care about me and want to help me. It’s only when I reach out to them and allow them to talk it through with me that I can actually make it without doing anything. If there are any clubs or groups around you that you could join with a friend/family member that might be able to get you back into an activity you enjoy - they can keep you accountable for showing up and encourage you. You can get through this. Addictions are hard, but they are curable.
Hold Fast
Kayla
Hey @Ben_Solo,
Thank you for reaching out to us! I’m so sorry to hear about the cycle that you’re stuck in. Why don’t you participate in action/extreme sports anymore? If that’s where you found your greatest relief, I would highly suggest either getting re-involved with them, or heck, even a light jog can help you feel better because of the release of dopamine and endorphins that occur during said activity. Have you considered seeing a counselor to talk to about your struggles? If not, I would HIGHLY recommend it - seeing someone was one of the best things that I’ve ever done. In the meantime, if you relapse, don’t be too hard on yourself - instead of focusing on the relapse, be proud of yourself with how far your made it! Then, set a goal to try to beat your record by 1 day. Then another day. And another. I would also check out HeartSupport’s book “Re-Write” because it also talks about self-harm, in addition to a workbook in the back to help you overcome your demons. I hope this helps!
-Eric
I personally found that practicing Jiu Jitsu helped me in this regard, as well as with finding self discipline, friendships, managing anxiety, and with being more comfortable in general. I don’t often recommend the sport because I know many people don’t enjoy or care for martial arts, but I have found it to be a wonderful outlet and could talk it up for hours on end if someone let me. Given your history with extreme sports and high adrenaline activities, it may be worth a shot.
Thank you all for your input. It’s so great to have people respond and not feel shame for talking about self harm.
I just got the kindle edition of ReWrite so I am going to give that a read. Also, jiu jitsu - Badwolf I never thought of that but there are a few schools in my area not far from home that teach it! With my schedule this might be easier to do than some options. I thought about going back to racing but it is extremely time consuming and expensive. Plus not available in the winter months… but martial arts would be. That’s a great idea! I’m pretty stoked on it.