Aspergers, Self-harm and Drinking lots of soda

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Hi Folks:

Any ideas on aspergers and self-harm/injury? I have problems with burning and cutting when i feel overwhelmed by emotions. Also, I have issues with huge intakes of Diet Beverages...my therapist thinks it is a sensory issue akin to "oral stimming" (my words, not hers). I really need some insight as both of these behaviors are driving me nuts!!


Thanks!
Darren

I have a couple of suggestions that probably won't help
For self-harm, try flicking yourself with an elastic band when you're tempted to cut or burn, I find it's about as satisfying, far less harmful, and as a habit, can replace the more dangerous forms of self-harm fairly easily
As for the drinks thing, maybe try clearing your throat or gurgling or something that provides stimulation in a similar way, when you want a soda
(I am most definitely not qualified to give advice)

You may be addicted to the phenylalanine in the diet sweeteners. If you think it's just the fizziness you crave, try switching to something like carbonated mineral water.

I was hospitalized many times for self inflicted injuries and one attempted suicide. When I look back, I think part of it was due to my drinking problem (vodka in either cherry cola or sprite to be exact but sometimes it was straight up) and then of course living in chaotic and unstable environment. Had to get a lot of counseling and out patient treatment. Glad to say I no longer feel the need to do what I did in the past.

I've been addicted to diet soda, and I think it's more a psychological addiction and oral stimming than addiction to any of the ingredients. Substitute coffee and tea, they're less dangerous to your kidneys and if you find an herbal tea you like you can reduce your caffeine intake. I always have a drink with me, coffee or tea or water, not very fond of water though. I've discovered I especially like the heat sensation, whether holding a beverage or drinking it, whether I'm cold or not.

It might not be the best advice, but instead of cut/burn maybe hitting is a better option (but not head/stomach).
As for soda maybe sparkling mineral water. I'm addicted to drinking plain water/hot beverages I just love the way drinking feels. Also when it's hot/cold.
Caffeine is not quite right for me but there is a ton of nice herbal teas. Sometimes I think I would be glad to live on liquid only.

First, I used to drink Coca-Cola all the time, it was the main beverage I would drink. I don't drink water. I hate the taste of it. I had never considered that my Coke consumption might be oral stimming, rather than just being a fat girl who drinks too much sugar soda. (I cannot drink diet soda, I am allergic to aspartame, the main sweetener, and drinks with Splenda dry my mouth out so much it's insane). I don't like flat Coke nearly as much, I think it has something to do with the carbonation, but also the sweetness. I tried to quit drinking it for New Years, but in trying to find a substitute drink (other sodas have just as much sugar and calories/sweet tea is too sweet and not fizzy, etc, etc), I decided that if I'm going to drink something soda-like, I may as well limit myself to one a day, at dinner, and not drink the amount I used to. Of course, this means I drink much less liquid than I used to, but oh well.

As far as self-injury goes, I self-harmed from age 14 to age 20, regularly. In the two years since being 20, I've cut myself a handful of times, the most recent being this past July when a very close friend coldly dumped me and I was completely dysregulated and had a knife on my desk. I also used to burn myself with lighters when I was 16, and progressed to cigarette burns when I was 18. I've never analyzed self-injury and Asperger's. I always thought it had to do with my bipolar disorder. I know that I want to cut when I'm overwhelmed by emotions, like you. When I was 14, the first time I ever cut was because my mom yelled at me and told me that I was not good enough for the performing arts high school I wanted to attend. Might seem minor, but at 14 it definitely wasn't to me. I don't have much of a suggestion from personal experience of how to quit self-harming regularly, because I just stopped one day. I did it, and it didn't provide the sense of relief it always had, and that was the end of that, for the most part.
As for typical quitting methods...I learned these through therapy and research over the years:

1. The elastic band/hair tie around your wrist thing. I used a hair tie because it was tighter than a rubber band and produced a more solid sensation. When you're feeling like you need to cut, snap the hair tie.

2. Holding ice cubes in your hands. Hold, squeeze the ice until it melts if you have to. It will hurt while you do it. When they melt, if you don't feel satiated, get more ice.

3. Drawing on yourself. One method I've tried is to get a red magic marker and when you need to cut, draw on wherever you were going to cut with the magic marker. For some people, including me, partially, some of the attraction to self-injury is the blood. This simulates blood, in a way, and might help soothe you. You can go about it as angrily as you want, draw on yourself as fervently as you need to, because when the moment has passed, the ink just washes away and no harm is done.

I'm not going to tell you that cutting is a useless coping skill, because it's not. For you, for me, for so many others, it's one of the best coping skills. Unfortunately, it also causes scars, and in my case, I don't know about you, has sent me to the emergency room for stitches more than once. Therapists have always told me that it's a terrible coping skill, which makes me feel even worse about being a cutter. There is no terrible coping skill, only maladaptive ones. People support recovering alcoholics and drug addicts and help them when they fall off the wagon, but there is very little understanding support for self-harmers, save from communities on the internet. Alcoholics find support in their friends, particularly when they are around our age, but a cutter looking for support from his/her friends sometimes finds disdain and lack of compassion. You're not a freak, you're not effed up because you're a self-harmer. Your problems and causes are just as valid as they are for anyone who seeks out substances, for example.
Please don't be discouraged by anything. If you truly want to get better, you will.

Also, if you ever need someone to talk to, please feel free to message me on this site, or find me on AOL instant messenger. (I'm AlasAntigone).