Save Yourself

Self destructive behavior in a person is a weighty problem to try to lift. Self destructive behaviors are frequently outward expressions of deeply rooted mental or personality disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder. These are serious mental problems, but with devoted efforts, they can be managed and the individual can lead a normal, meaningful life.

Setting out to reverse self destructive behaviors requires major lifestyle changes, but those who are determined can make it happen. To quit your self destructive behaviors, consider the following tactics:

• Consider medication. Self destructive behavior is frequently a sign of a serious mental disorder or personality disorder. These can be diagnosed and managed, but medication is frequently helpful to this cause. A number of antidepressants and mood stabilizers are available to help people with disorders balance their brain chemistry and disposition.
• Seek counseling. Professional counselors are practiced in working with people who struggle with self destructive tendencies. They are equipped to identify the underlying causes of the self destructive behavior and help the individual work on their recovery and regain the positivity in their lives. If the self destruction is substance abuse related, seek high quality substance abuse treatment.
• Practice coping skills, healthy behaviors and positive self talk. Learning to retrain the way your mind operates is essential to ending your self destructive tendencies. A great deal of help with this will come from counseling, but it will be up to you to put the lessons you learn in counseling or self help into practice in your life.
• Managing triggers and urges to relapse. Similarly, it will be up to you to learn to avoid things that trigger your self destructive tendencies. If substance abuse is your battle, you will need to practice sobriety by staying away from your sources of the substance or substances. If self harm is your battle, you need to urgently remove yourself from any situation that is causing you to want to harm yourself. If you tend to run from positive things because you do not feel that you deserve them, you will need to work particularly hard on feeding yourself positive self talk instead of self deprecating thoughts.