Why do people cut themselves?

1. 71

   Rehana Stormmeposted 12 years ago

   Why do people cut themselves?
   
   Many teens these days are secretely harming themselves. Why do you think this is? Why is it becoming increasingly more common? What can be done to help them?
   (I've already written a hub on this, but I'd love to get your views. Thank you!)

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2. 60

   trecords0posted 12 years ago

   I don't really know, attention.  I did this as a teen myself and I don't know why I did it.  It was stupid.  The other day my wife had seen posts by a girl our oldest son had gone out with and she was taking pictures of her cutting herself.  The girls parents both frequent the same site, so how they missed this, or why they ignored it, I don't know.  My wife called the girl to talk to her and to give her comfort and advice and a little attention.  I do know that in some primitive societies cutting is a coming of age ritual, but that has nothing to do with our society and depression.

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3. 77

   ii3rittlesposted 12 years ago

   I use to cut myself. I didn't do it for attention. I couldn't handle emotional pain. When someone would make fun of me it would hurt me so bad that I couldn't control my emotions. When I cut myself, I made my mind focus more on physical pain then emotional pain. I also felt more in control of myself. I also cut when I felt I deserved it. I felt like a lot of things were my fault... Even if they had nothing to do with me. If my mother said something hurtful, in my mind I felt it was because I was an unlovable daughter. I was very sensitive and fragile when  I was younger. I never thought of suicide or taking my own life though. I merely did it to avoid emotional pain or help relieve it. Now, I know better and have a better grasp on my emotions.

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4. 61

   nightwork4posted 12 years ago

   in some cases they do it as a way of self-discipline because of low self-esteem. for others i think they find pleasure in it but i can't say that for sure.

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5. 59

   Cassie Smithposted 12 years ago

   It's a self-destructive act and people who do need to get therapy.

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6. 86

   wychicposted 12 years ago

   I already wrote a hub on it, but for me it was all that could quiet the emotional pain that I didn't know how to deal with. It does turn into a type of addiction, and it took a lot of therapy for me before I was able to stop. Very few cutters do it for attention -- the vast majority do everything they can to hide it from the outside world.
   
   http://wychic.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-H … -Help-Them

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7. 72

   lburmasterposted 12 years ago

   Not always is it secret. Normally their friends know that they are cutting themselves. I had a friend who believed everything she did wrong, she should be punished for. She had a few home-made instruments for causing herself pain. At times she would even throw herself down the stairs for being such a disappointment. However, this was brought on by her mother who abused her in middle school and verbally abused her in high-school.
   During high-school, my boyfriend at the time would give himself bruises out of anger for his situation and family issues. To get him to stop, I cut myself each time he hurt himself. In less than a week, he stopped.
   Normally they do not know how to express their emotions, or how to stop and calm down or even think about the consequences. Though not all of them cut their arms. A swimmer used to cut the inside of his legs so it would not be seen when he was at competitions. Another good place that remains hidden is the ankles. They are low to the ground and normally ignored.

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8. 61

   shamani67posted 12 years ago

   I used to cut myself regularly. I was raped at the age of 16 when I was still a virgin. From that day on I started self mutilation. It was a way for me to relieve the emotional stress by inflicting pain on my body. It was a way for me to escape.
   I used to have to wear bandages or things to cover these so my parents never found out. They never did by the way.
   I used to have suicidal thoughts all the time. I started drinking at school and anytime I could get my hands on alcohol. I just wanted to end my life. Cutting relieved some of the pressure. Being able to sit there and watch yourself bleed was great comfort.
   The pain as the razor sunk into your flesh was a relief in itself. To this day I still know the sensation of cutting through your own flesh.
   I have not done it for years, but could easily go back there if I found myself in a dark and horrible place.
   It is almost like an addiction.
   The first thing to go wrong (when a teenager) you go straight for the razor.
   I am not proud of what I did, but can understand it whole heartedly.

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