I'm not a cutter but...

[Cool Cat]

Really keep an eye on that, stuff like that was how I started off SI-ing.
The ice thing doesn't really work for me as it's too close to the real thing which ends up coming after.
Definitely go through it in T, the first time I SH'ed the first thing I did when I got the chance was ring a hotline. Anyone here do that?

 

[Friday]

It has a lot of different names: the void, the hole, the emptiness, the abyss, hollow, numbness, etc. But all of those things are also used to describe other things. And it's also linked in different ways by different people. A lot of people attach hunger (of some type) to it. Trying to fill the hole with food, drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, pain, etc.

 

[Chava]

How can so many people have this "feeling" but gave no name for it? Or explanation??

I think feelings of "emptiness" are common in PTSD, c-PTSD, BPD (borderline personality), and depression. The precise experience and description of it is subjective...probably quite unique to each individual though many of us can relate to the general feeling and how terrible it is. I have the isolated or disconnected form of emptiness, the meaningless sort of emptiness, and then probably the yuckier form of emptiness is slightly dissociated and/or depersonalized...empty and beyond reach (or maybe I'm in some kind of "freeze"... I don't know).

 

[Smile]

Wow. I feel more normal than I ever have in my life. You guys get it. You have it. It's happened to you. You understand the pain it causes even though it can be justified with anything physical. Thank you from the bottom of my tortured soul!

So now the big question is: is there a healthy fix? Aside from ice :)

Actually, what niggles at me more is the origin. Obviously the one thing we all have in common is trauma so it must stem from there. But that's not very pinpointed, is it?

@Chava , if this "emptiness" is a symptom of Ptsd, ect., shouldn't we have a name/cure for it?

 

[Chava]

I don't think it's a "symptom" of ptsd. I know it's mentioned as part of c-ptsd, which isn't an official diagnosis. But I don't think it's uncommon in various forms of trauma, dissociation, or depression. The cure would depend on what the emptiness is. "Emptiness" is a descriptor, like "sadness"...and we have sadness for all kinds of reasons. But chronic feelings of emptiness are more often connected to trauma stuff or depression, whereas everyone feels sadness at times. If the emptiness is loneliness or isolation, the response would be different than "emptiness" that comes from something more like feelings of meaninglessness or feelings of depersonalization. But I don't really believe in simple one-pointed cures anyway. I've found it's all a little too complex, but it helps to work on the awareness part and notice what's going on if I can and find some other outlet or try to figure out what I need and if I can get it. It's most helpful if my feelings don't get to that intense place to begin with, so I've gotten a little better at seeing when I'm headed down that path before I would want to cut/burn.

 

[bell]

Just a note to take care of that burn! I have burns all over my arms and legs from when I was younger and just wanted to feel something, anything...

However, making sure you're using something like Neosporin often and not messing with it/the scab will help it heal better, which means it will look better later.

It can be a hard shift to go from hurting yourself to taking care of yourself by making sure the wound is treated well, but I can assure you that sucker will be around for awhile, so the best care you can muster is important.

 

[joeylittle]

Obviously the one thing we all have in common is trauma so it must stem from there.

Kind of like @Chava said - I was having this extreme physical feeling of empty as a child, before my trauma occurred. I was, however, likely suffering from childhood depression. For a long time I think I chalked it up to "growing pains", but when it came back in adulthood that idea was nixed. All I know is that the feeling I get now is the exact same as then, including some images that always came along with it. It's strange.

 

[KwanYingirl]

we may well be discussing somatic experiencing. The mind/body connection. We all seem to equate our emptiness, dissociation.
, depersonalization with our emotional states. I get as unhinged by excitement as I do loneliness or fear.