question about self-harm vs. sports

Experience in locked residential facilities for youth offenders and the juvenile justice system. I have "seen it all"..... I specialize in teens/young people with various issues (Drug &Alcohol, LGBTQ, self-harm, sex/physical abuse, early psychosis) with a psychoanalytic leaning... I also run the Adult and Teen DBT group at my organization and in charge of crisis situations at the clinic (suicide, self-harm, harm to others). In addition, I am a licensed art therapist and use art therapy as a way to process internal stimuli that is blocked by trauma. I'm based in Portland
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Apatronymie
Posts: 4
Joined: July 13th, 2019, 5:50 am
Gender: female
Issues: Depression, anxiety, alcohol addiction, self-harm, self-loathing
preferred pronoun: she

question about self-harm vs. sports

Post by Apatronymie »

Hello, I have a question. Why do some coping mechanisms are considered good (exercising) and others bad (self-harming, alcohol). I mean, I exercise daily (running, stretching, working-out) and exercising HURTS. But everyone says it's good to exercise. I have several tattoos. They hurt when I had them done. But tattoos are now considered ok. I cut myself. It hurts (no more, no less than exercising) but that's considered bad. Why?
People say cutting can become addictive, that's why it's bad. But exercising is addictive too, so what's the difference? These are all different ways for me to hurt myself, feel pain, punish myself and my body (I hate myself and my body). So who can explain to me why exercising is good for you and cutting bad?

Many thanks in advance.
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