Too much time on your hands

While we are often loaded with work, meetings, endless tasks we do sometimes find a gap where we have little or nothing to do. Right now I'm sitting in my room staring at a computer with internet tabs open to Facebook, my email, and Blogger. I've checked all three about 30 times each in the past 20 minutes. Why? Because I have no work to do. Meetings are done, advising for my spring schedule was earlier, I have no homework, and my presentation is finished. For the average self injurer free time can be both good and bad. Good because you have time to relax, catch up on your favorite tv show, or read a book. Bad because having free time can give you time to engage in whatever form of self injury you do. Everyone says, distract yourself and you'll be fine. Well honestly that only works for some people and I understand that friends and family are just trying to help but it takes a little more than distractions for some of us. It is true that playing a game of cards, challenging yourself to sudoku, or watching tv can help because I know from experience that it can. If you have a friend or some family nearby and you want to hang out with them or talk with them then go for it! For those of us who need a little extra push to stay away from our "habit" it can help to tell someone what you're thinking. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to be with them face to face but even a text or a message on Facebook or a phone call to a friend. What I do is say "Hey I'm having a bad night I don't have anything to do and I want to cut". Straight forward, don't tip toe around the topic. I only say this to someone who knows me very well and won't freak out and call 911. One of my friends always knows how to talk to me and it doesn't take much. The point of this is to have someone else be aware of whats going on. This sort of puts a little note in the back of your mind saying "You're not alone in this moment, someone is right there with you and you don't want to let them down" Call it a positive guilt trip. They're not telling you do it for them but part of me always knows that the other person is sort of involved now and that I'm not alone. It's a little confusing but when the time comes to try it you'll understand what I mean