Stupid Things To Say To A Self Harmer Number 685423

"you must be hot in that cardigan, why don't you take it off?"

Well actually no, I really enjoy wearing long sleeves in the 30 degree humidity. And thank you, it hasn't occurred to me to remove it. Problem solved.

I am working a job where I can't show my arms and it is warmer than 30 degrees - much more so at places on the ward. Having ppl say things like the above to me is really testing my patience

Cracked

I don't get what kind of answer people want with that stupid question. Of course it's hot and if I could/wanted to I would take it off. Should be pretty obvious.
I absolutely hate that question.
Whats even worse is when people ask your family/friends that you're with "why is she dressed so warm?"

There is a place in hell reserved for people who bug us about long sleeves

I am sure they mean well, but, honestly they are more likely to come out of the conversatiom intact if they STFU about what I am wearing

Cracked (grumpy)

You should come up with some kind of oh is it hot here's me thinking we're in the North Pole surrounded by snow and ice thanks for enlightening me you f@?!tard

Really you'd have thought people would have learnt to keep their mouths shut ..... On the other hand could you get some light weight long sleeve tops to wear to help make it abit cooler

Huge hugs xxx

And that's why I had to quit burning. Certainly not because I WANTED to.

Well, people mean well.

Mid-80s is rather odd cardigan weather.

And people are curious.

I would be dying, figuratively. Anything over 75F is hot. At work I wear shorts and a tank top. If it's below freezing outside, I MIGHT wear long pants and a tee shirt.

Right now, it's 2AM, it's still 77F outside with 86% humitidy. Welcome to the Deep South in July. Next few days will be a cool spell with highs only in the 80s F. Long sleeves simply isn't an option, and I got TIRED of what'd you do to your arms? How'd you do that to your arms? Man you scratched up your arms! (the way I burn I make it look like scratches and it feels like cutting, without the fuss of actually bleeding). So I ditched the arms when warm weather hit and I couldn't at least wear long sleeves at home (never at work, I'd die) and switched to my legs.

How'd you scratch your legs up? What'd you do to your legs? Wow your legs are tore up! You say you did that at work? Tell me again what you did to your legs!

Arrgh!!!!

Nothing irritates the piss out of me than curious people innocently asking me how I did whatever to whatever when I really want to tell them to LET IT BE. These are the same ppl, btw, who think self-harmers all do it for the attention and have no idea I'm hiding it right under their ######6 nose.

Whew.

I suppose it's all for the best, I've managed to resist now for some time, and am enjoying not being covered up with scabs- especially since I'm about to get an upper leg tattoo, and it'll be nice if my lower legs didn't look like they got caught in a weedeater- but still- I can't help but resent Buttinskis.

I feel your pain, Cracked. I feel your pain....

Thanks guys <3

I think that if it was not for the type of job I am doing (mental health work on an acute women's ward) and would say ###$ it and show my arms. Just I cant with the patients - and also dont want to as it gives away a lot about me to ppl who I would rather did not know that about me. Staff I dont mind so much though also a littl wary about them. But it is the patients.

I have tried long sleeved tops under my top but I think they actually make me hotter - my cardigans are cotton or ones with hole patterns in them so I think the best option. Just would be way better if I did not have to wear a uniform then I could pick stuff which covers things and is cool - the tops we wear add to the boilingness of things as they are pretty thick material.

Ho hum

Anyhow, thanks guys

Huge hugs

Cracked

I thought it was medical but mental health work too oh no... no.... I suppose that would be doubleplusungood to display the arms. Sorry. Hugs.

OTOH when Buttinskis ask you, just tell them "Because it's my THING." and look them square in the eye.

Everyone has to have a thing. Like Lincoln wanted his stovepipe hat to be his thing.

So you're CardiganGirl. You should hear some of the things I'm called at work...

CardiganGirl is a good thing to be known as - well, at least better than MentalWoman

Huge hugs and thank you

Cracked

I had a guy once who said to me "what did you try to slash your wrists or something?"

My mother was embarrassed (of course, it was about her feelings- cause you know, mine don't matter). I felt like turning around and saying to him "they're my arms, not my wrists, it's called cutting, not "wrist slashing" (I despise that term) and it's none of your f'ing business anyhow". Of course I wasn't brave enough to say that. But when his daughter- his only child, started cutting about 10 years later, I wondered what he thought about it then.

Cracked, I agree, you've just got to make it your little thing. Would you be able to get away with a light cotton buttoned shirt worn open over the top rather than a cardigan? Or is it not really dress code? I've done cardigans in the middle of summer too- and yeah, it's uncomfortable. The alternative is too though.

So.... Cracked..... do ya watch The Big Bang Theory?

Ever since this thread started, all I could think of is Amy Farrah Fowler.

Who, btw, is my fave character on that show. So... make the cardigans your thing, honey child. They're cute on Mayim Bialik....