despite everything, it's still you.

1. ok im putting this first i dont care its so important. You need to be cleaning, disinfecting, and bandaging any open wounds. i didnt do this for a long time when i was younger and it is seriously not good. You know what you don't want to have to deal with? an infection.

don't know how? don't have the stuff? do what you can. anything you can. you do not want anything to get infected.

here are some steps and some things you can do in cases where you don't have access to everything you need:

a) Clean your wound. the most optimal way of doing this is getting a little cotton pad wet (or using an antiseptic wipe, in the best case scenario!!!) and gently dabbing/swiping away any blood. get it as clean as you can; be gentle on it. if it hasn't stopped bleeding, hold the cleaning pad there until you can get your bandaging stuff at the ready, both to minimize blood loss and to minimize the amount of bacteria that is getting access to your open wounds. make sure it's clean before you put your bandage on it.

b) DISINFECT. this is SO important. infection is nasty and it hurts HORRIBLY and you do not want to deal with it. you can use a number of things for this; antiseptic wipes, creams, ointments whatever you got. it is no longer recommended to use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to disinfect open wounds, as it is likely going to irritate the your skin and especially the wound (not to mention it's much more painful!!) and instead it would be better to just use warm water and some soap, if you don't have antiseptic, so keep that in mind!!

c) Bandage it up!!! this is how you prevent stuff from getting in your wounds after you cleaned it. which is part of preventing yourself an infection. its important! if you have typical bandages (think bandaids) please try to be conscious of not putting the sticky part on an open wound, if youve done some lines close together. you can use scissors to cut off part of the bandage, then stick the cotton pads together with the other's, extending the length of the bandage. you can also just use normal cotton pads, and have some medical tape or gauze overlaid on top of it. try not to use med tape or gauze on top of the wound without some kind of absorbing pad underneath; med tape and gauze are intended to keep a wound dressing secure and in place, not to be the actual dressing. im a bit of a freak about wound care so i use med tape over bandaids, because they come off a little easier than you'd want with sweat and stuff, but if they'll stay on that's all that matters.

so, why is this so important? if youre hurting yourself anyway and youre doing it for some kind of self hating reason, why should you bother taking care of it?

well, ideally you are kind to yourself in general when you do something like this, but since i know for at least some that this is irrelevant to you, let me provide another reason i think it's helpful!

for me personally, i am in an environment where i dont feel safe with the people in person around me knowing i am doing this. it tends to cause an overreaction that would endanger me much, much more than the actual action of cutting.

in cases like this, an infection makes it so much more likely that you get caught.

infections make a wound infinitely more painful and sensitive. if someone brushes up against an infected wound, as opposed to a properly dressed wound, you are so much more likely to react to the much more severe pain.... and that reaction will get people to know something is hurt there if they didnt before. if it's for your own safety to keep anyone from knowing, disinfecting and dressing it will make that safety a little more likely.

2. drink some frickin water!!!!! or tea, or soda, or fruit juice or whatever you gotta use to hydrate yourself. just stay hydrated ok? its good for you. you should really be doing this in general anyway but in regards to open wounds and stuff i think its extra good to stay hydrated. theres a lot of stuff hydration does for you when youre wounded but some of the most important stuff here is that it helps you heal faster. your body has a shit ton of water in it. it's mostly water. if you're losin blood, youre losin water. get more water.

3. eat a little snack!!! this kinda corresponds with 2, but hey! your body needs fuel to do things! including healing! even if it's hard to tell, your body IS using up energy trying to heal itself when you've hurt it! food will help it do that faster! also, it'll make you feel better!

4. ice your wound! you dont have to do this but it's cooling and it prevents swelling and it makes ya feel nice, and you deserve to feel a little nice sometimes. also, yucky stuff that causes infections tends to not like the cold. this is something you learn with food but it also can apply to your open wounds. because you're one big sack of raw meat.

5. rest and be easy on yourself! in a similar vein to 3, your body is using up energy trying to heal itself, and that's gonna make you tired and hurting sometimes. be gentle with yourself! its ok to take it easy while your body is working!

this last little message is for if you know someone who is or might be hurting themselves, and it's really important, okay?

it is so, so important for someone who is hurting themselves to have a kind and loving party who does not encourage or enable the behavior but also does not overreact or condemn. this could be you. it SHOULD be you. it's good for your friends, okay? it's important.

be kind to your friends hurting themselves the same way someone would be kind to their friend who has a nasty hangover. it's one of the best things you can do. please. i am begging you. be nice. be normal. be kind to disabled people.