Yep... the key to learning to fly a heli and keeping it in one piece is:

1) Learn to hover in a good sim first (RealFlight, Reflex, Aerofly Pro, etc.)
2) Use training gear
3) Conservative flying

I taught myself as well... spent 8hrs in RealFlight learning to hover first, and then flew about 70 flights with training gear, hovering every which way and then some forward flight, before I took the gear off.