makyo

CW: Mention of self-harm

So, I have a real problem with self-harm. It's gone on for decades, now, since I was about four, and although I'm getting better at managing it, it's still something I really struggle against. Although I'm still working on it, I've gotten used to it.

Anyway, the result of all of that is that I have some very visible scarring, most apparent on my forearms. Sometimes, I wear arm warmers, but I've gotten to the point where I feel okay not in some situations.

Comfortable though I am about them being seen, I'm not too terribly comfortable talking about it. It's one thing to acknowledge, in a very abstract way, that this is something about me that I have to deal with, but another thing entirely to have a conversation about this particular way in which I've failed to cope time and time again. A lot of people, I suspect, don't want to hear that. I've been told by one person that I should just lie and say I defeated a bear in single combat, and while I appreciate a good lie, I'm never sure when it's appropriate.

Anyway, the upside to having to wear braces now is that I suddenly have a reason to beg off from talking about this, as I can talk about how bad my typing posture was and, for once, be an example for something other than see-a-damn-psych.