Cutting. Why so popular among teens?

[Kirra]

How can anyone be stupid enough to cut themselves on purpose?

 

[Yankmy Armoff]

Clearly an alternative perspective is needed here

I'm 28 so before anyone goes on about bloody teenagers etc let me say yes i was a teenager when this happened, but i'm not now.

I have self harmed numerous times in the past, including cutting, branding, punching concrete and a variety of other things. Not once have i ever done it to get attention. it was always done away from others and any signs kept hidden by clothing. inflicting pain on oneself is often done out of frustration rather than a desire to be noticed (with me this was certainly the case, i still dont like being the center of ANYONEs attention).

self inflicted pain or injury for me was more of a way of releasing anger and frustration, the endorphins and pain itself allowing what was in my head to abate for a while. Ever punched a wall or screamed into a pillow to avoid lashing out? its a similar response, having to deal with pain allows your mind to forget whatever else is bothering it and focus on the pain.

Having said that, if theres no need to drown something out in your head then self harm probably isnt too clever.

MY POINT: i'm not advocating self harm for people who are a bit bored or want attention. i'm not even advocating it for people who have emotional issues they done want to deal with. All i'm saying is sometimes in a persons head self harm seems like the only thing they can do to express their anger, they'd probably be better finding someone to talk to but sometimes there isnt anyone and so self harm occurs.

If you havent experienced it then its hard to understand, but at least you're willing to read this much so you must have a partial desire to understand, for that, i thank you.

 

[Sevre]

It originally started out as a way to feel alive, that you could beat the form of suicide that was cutting your wrists, a natural anti-depressant. Then more and more people who weren't depressed at all heard of it and tried to make themselves depressed to get the same effect. This is what people are doing now,they'll give up eventually.

 

[Ionami]

Because they are stupid, that's why everyone does everything.

That, and they seek a way of getting attention because they're unhappy with their life. "Look at me, I am miserable, and to express my feelings, I cut myself. See? blood!"
Well perhaps a bit over-exaggerated, but I think that's basically it.

Not only that, cutting yourself releases endorfins which make you feel better. Hence the fact that emos and depressed people (stereotypically) do it.

And also the fact that the scars get you attention

It does not make you feel better. Not in the sense that you're saying anyways. People who cut are obviously severely depressed, and have no way to vent or release the build-up of emotions they have. The cutting is a way for them to temporarily forget about those emotions, and in a way, come back to reality. The cutting hurts. It most certainly does NOT feel good. But that's the whole point.

The rush of adrenaline that comes from cutting yourself temporarily relieves the depression, anxiety and/or other overwhelming feelings the person has.

Other options? Therapy. Talking to your doctor about possible anti-depressants. Talk to your parents, or if they're the reason you're cutting in the first place, talk to someone of authority at school.

Spoiler: Oh my god I was right all along! -.-

They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during strenuous exercise,excitement, pain, and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. Endorphins work as "natural pain relievers", whose effects may be enhanced by other medications.

Tut tut.

That's funny.

You're basically saying they cut because the pain they get from cutting is too much to bear. Right. Makes perfect sense.

Wrong. Think about that for a second. That's NOT why they cut.

 

[Rascarin]

Because the physical pain is a release from the mental/psychological pain.

I only ever cut myself twice, and it was just a tiny nick on my finger, and I told nobody. For me, it wasn't about attention (although in a LOT of people it probably is. Personally, I was ashamed of it), but a way of letting out the stuff I couldn't express in any other way.

 

[Mr_spamamam]

Maybe because they feel that they deserve the pain. I'll admit some people self harm for attention, and that is a little bit sad, because it means that the ones who are doing it out of a genuine self hatred are classed as attention whores, which can just serve to make things worse.

My ex used to self harm and i only ever found out because i caught her doing it, she had cut the word stupid into her arm with a stanley knife. She really hated herself and i never found out why. So just bear in mind that not every self harmer is attention starved, you might even be surprised who does it, its somethines the people you least expect

 

[02cfranklin]

Most of my friends cut... I have thought a lot about it, but it is hard to peg down what the issue is. Part of it, in my opinion, is the placebo effect. It has become such a popular thing, with everyone talking about how it makes them feel, that people hear it and expect it to do the same thing with them.
I spent years of my life battling depression and suicidal impulses, but never did I give in to the cutting trend. At the time I saw it as just a way to gain attention, and maybe it is just a cry for help... to be honest I think even cutters don't get it. It is jut something they do because they expect it to work.

Same for me.

 

[headshotcatcher]

Because they are stupid, that's why everyone does everything.

That, and they seek a way of getting attention because they're unhappy with their life. "Look at me, I am miserable, and to express my feelings, I cut myself. See? blood!"
Well perhaps a bit over-exaggerated, but I think that's basically it.

Not only that, cutting yourself releases endorfins which make you feel better. Hence the fact that emos and depressed people (stereotypically) do it.

And also the fact that the scars get you attention

It does not make you feel better. Not in the sense that you're saying anyways. People who cut are obviously severely depressed, and have no way to vent or release the build-up of emotions they have. The cutting is a way for them to temporarily forget about those emotions, and in a way, come back to reality. The cutting hurts. It most certainly does NOT feel good. But that's the whole point.

The rush of adrenaline that comes from cutting yourself temporarily relieves the depression, anxiety and/or other overwhelming feelings the person has.

Other options? Therapy. Talking to your doctor about possible anti-depressants. Talk to your parents, or if they're the reason you're cutting in the first place, talk to someone of authority at school.

Spoiler: Oh my god I was right all along! -.-

They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during strenuous exercise,excitement, pain, and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. Endorphins work as "natural pain relievers", whose effects may be enhanced by other medications.

Tut tut.

That's funny.

You're basically saying they cut because the pain they get from cutting is too much to bear. Right. Makes perfect sense.

Wrong. Think about that for a second. That's NOT why they cut.

Endorphins. Yes they relieve pain, yes they make you happy. It's the stuff your body makes as painkiller, as well as the stuff that's in chocolate (that makes you happy).
Note: Endorphins are also among the stuff that gets released into your brain when you are in love.

Not only that. Endorphins, or feeling good overall, are addictive. That's why people find it hard to stop cutting themselves.

 

[eatenbyagrue]

Social Darwinism?

Nah, kids are dumb. Little, temporary problems seem to make the world come crashing down. I'd suggest kids slap themselves upside the back of their heads, as that is the only self-inflicted pain they need as punishment for their stupidity.

you had it right until the third word of your post.
lol nah its just kids being controlled by hormones who obviously dont realize http://www.moonbattery.com/starving_african_child.jpg is a lot worse off then poor 'ol johnny who couldn't get a date to the prom.

Now that there is a logical fallacy called "Appeal to worse problems". You, good sir/m'aam, have the advantage of an outside perspective: either your prom is long past, or you're too young to care, hence you can tell it's not really something dumb to cry over. Yet to "poor 'ol Johnny", it seems like a big thing because:
a) teenagers tend to be self-centered. It's got something to do with hormones
b) It IS the biggest problem to him, but only for that very moment.

 

[Ionami]

Because they are stupid, that's why everyone does everything.

That, and they seek a way of getting attention because they're unhappy with their life. "Look at me, I am miserable, and to express my feelings, I cut myself. See? blood!"
Well perhaps a bit over-exaggerated, but I think that's basically it.

Not only that, cutting yourself releases endorfins which make you feel better. Hence the fact that emos and depressed people (stereotypically) do it.

And also the fact that the scars get you attention

It does not make you feel better. Not in the sense that you're saying anyways. People who cut are obviously severely depressed, and have no way to vent or release the build-up of emotions they have. The cutting is a way for them to temporarily forget about those emotions, and in a way, come back to reality. The cutting hurts. It most certainly does NOT feel good. But that's the whole point.

The rush of adrenaline that comes from cutting yourself temporarily relieves the depression, anxiety and/or other overwhelming feelings the person has.

Other options? Therapy. Talking to your doctor about possible anti-depressants. Talk to your parents, or if they're the reason you're cutting in the first place, talk to someone of authority at school.

Spoiler: Oh my god I was right all along! -.-

They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during strenuous exercise,excitement, pain, and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. Endorphins work as "natural pain relievers", whose effects may be enhanced by other medications.

Tut tut.

That's funny.

You're basically saying they cut because the pain they get from cutting is too much to bear. Right. Makes perfect sense.

Wrong. Think about that for a second. That's NOT why they cut.

Endorphins. Yes they relieve pain, yes they make you happy. It's the stuff your body makes as painkiller, as well as the stuff that's in chocolate (that makes you happy).
Note: Endorphins are also among the stuff that gets released into your brain when you are in love.

Not only that. Endorphins, or feeling good overall, are addictive. That's why people find it hard to stop cutting themselves.

That's great, except I'm not talking about why they can't stop.

I'm talking about why they do it in the first place.

 

[Inverse Skies]

I've actually never heard of this particular act before... but its very implementation suggests some sort of deeper psychological problems for the poor people which manifests itself in self-mutilation.

 

[the_hessian]

My ex used to cut herself. She didn't do it for attention, sympathy, to feel alive, any of the stereotypical synical kind of ideas those that don't cut think. She explained it to me a little while before we started going out, and it's something like this:
She cut to sort of punish herself, if she punished herself then no one else could, and she didn't know how another person might punish her and she didn't want to know. I meant she had controle, which is a big thing for teenagers, especially girls. Not being sexist there, but most of my guy friends have no controle issues unless they're getting bossed about alot by someone who's a jerk, where as my friends who are girls hate even having the smallest thing expected of them, they want to be the one's calling the shots at all times. Now I know this is just my experiences, and the anecdotal evidence I've heard from others, male and female, so it does not apply to everyone, but it is a valid point none the less. Anyway, she further explained that it was a coping method, she had no one she felt she could talk to, nor anyone that would truely understand her if she did talk to them. And she really didn't, all her friends and family are completely spak-tarded, her and I are completely bemused as to how she's so well adjusted otherwise. After a certain length of time, cutting a little didn't fill the gap, so she had to cut more, like with anything that anyone takes for a long period of time: caffiene, sugar, drugs, alcohol, etc. So she cut more and more, until it wasn't a coping method anymore, but an addiciton that she couldn't get any help for.
Not to step in as the hero here, but it was going out with me and giving her someone to talk to about anything is what stopped her cutting or self harming in any capacity. Like I say, she's now my ex. We both got really stressed out with work and college and crap and need time apart, so we're still best friends and still talk alot.
I mean a comparison is I cannot harm myself at all, ever. But when I was in primary and secondary school I was horribly bullied, but instead of turning on myself like my ex did, I made myself highly academic. Then when I got to college and had no one to bully me and make me want to prove myself to and make myself better than, day in day out, I floundered. So I psychologically got used to being mentally tortured and beaten up by others to the point were I actually stopped being able to function without it. Since I've learned to just prove myself to myself and things have all got alot better.
So I think cutting is just a reaction some people take in their lives to cope with whatever.
Same as someone who developes an eating disorder, or becomes a bully themselves.
It's all nature and nurture.

We are the reaction to the sum of our ancestry, environment, and experiences thus far through life.

 

[headshotcatcher]

Because they are stupid, that's why everyone does everything.

That, and they seek a way of getting attention because they're unhappy with their life. "Look at me, I am miserable, and to express my feelings, I cut myself. See? blood!"
Well perhaps a bit over-exaggerated, but I think that's basically it.

Not only that, cutting yourself releases endorfins which make you feel better. Hence the fact that emos and depressed people (stereotypically) do it.

And also the fact that the scars get you attention

It does not make you feel better. Not in the sense that you're saying anyways. People who cut are obviously severely depressed, and have no way to vent or release the build-up of emotions they have. The cutting is a way for them to temporarily forget about those emotions, and in a way, come back to reality. The cutting hurts. It most certainly does NOT feel good. But that's the whole point.

The rush of adrenaline that comes from cutting yourself temporarily relieves the depression, anxiety and/or other overwhelming feelings the person has.

Other options? Therapy. Talking to your doctor about possible anti-depressants. Talk to your parents, or if they're the reason you're cutting in the first place, talk to someone of authority at school.

Spoiler: Oh my god I was right all along! -.-

They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during strenuous exercise,excitement, pain, and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. Endorphins work as "natural pain relievers", whose effects may be enhanced by other medications.

Tut tut.

That's funny.

You're basically saying they cut because the pain they get from cutting is too much to bear. Right. Makes perfect sense.

Wrong. Think about that for a second. That's NOT why they cut.

Endorphins. Yes they relieve pain, yes they make you happy. It's the stuff your body makes as painkiller, as well as the stuff that's in chocolate (that makes you happy).
Note: Endorphins are also among the stuff that gets released into your brain when you are in love.

Not only that. Endorphins, or feeling good overall, are addictive. That's why people find it hard to stop cutting themselves.

That's great, except I'm not talking about why they can't stop.

I'm talking about why they do it in the first place.

Why do people start smoking? Why do people start drinking?

Peer pressure (or whatever it's called) is probably the thing causing it. Starting with people like Marilyn Manson cutting themselves on stage..

 

[pcload1etter]

Because they are stupid, that's why everyone does everything.

This is pretty much it. Someone did this first and so the rest of the stupid people are sheep and just follow whatever the first moron does.

It's plain stupidity at work.

 

[bulbasaur]

id never self harm but ive seen 2 ppl cutting themselves for a bet.

there are 2 kinds of self harmer
those that need serious help but u might not notice cause they wouldn't show it around
then there's those that show it off for attention, they just need a good brutal beating so they actually have sumfin to be depressed about.

 

[Jamash]

Not only does the adrenaline rush feel good, but the sensation of your body healing itself afterwards also feels great.

When you're feeling down, and it appears like you've got nothing good in your life, that feeling of healing and automatic self-preservation can be good, perhaps the only tangible positive thing in your existence.

Also the act of harming oneself can be like a act of self-punishment or penance, to help alleviate a feeling of guilt from some ill perceived failure in your life.

Of course, there are those who solely do it for attention or to follow a trend, which detracts from the credibility of the logical, psychological reasons.

Far from being a new thing, part of the 'Emo trend' and an attention seeking device, the act of self-harm, mutilation, penance or even flagellation has been present in many different human societies for thousands of years, (perhaps ingrained into our subconscious through religion, stories and myths) so it's not completely without 'merit'.

 

[Ionami]

Because they are stupid, that's why everyone does everything.

That, and they seek a way of getting attention because they're unhappy with their life. "Look at me, I am miserable, and to express my feelings, I cut myself. See? blood!"
Well perhaps a bit over-exaggerated, but I think that's basically it.

Not only that, cutting yourself releases endorfins which make you feel better. Hence the fact that emos and depressed people (stereotypically) do it.

And also the fact that the scars get you attention

It does not make you feel better. Not in the sense that you're saying anyways. People who cut are obviously severely depressed, and have no way to vent or release the build-up of emotions they have. The cutting is a way for them to temporarily forget about those emotions, and in a way, come back to reality. The cutting hurts. It most certainly does NOT feel good. But that's the whole point.

The rush of adrenaline that comes from cutting yourself temporarily relieves the depression, anxiety and/or other overwhelming feelings the person has.

Other options? Therapy. Talking to your doctor about possible anti-depressants. Talk to your parents, or if they're the reason you're cutting in the first place, talk to someone of authority at school.

Spoiler: Oh my god I was right all along! -.-

They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during strenuous exercise,excitement, pain, and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. Endorphins work as "natural pain relievers", whose effects may be enhanced by other medications.

Tut tut.

That's funny.

You're basically saying they cut because the pain they get from cutting is too much to bear. Right. Makes perfect sense.

Wrong. Think about that for a second. That's NOT why they cut.

Endorphins. Yes they relieve pain, yes they make you happy. It's the stuff your body makes as painkiller, as well as the stuff that's in chocolate (that makes you happy).
Note: Endorphins are also among the stuff that gets released into your brain when you are in love.

Not only that. Endorphins, or feeling good overall, are addictive. That's why people find it hard to stop cutting themselves.

That's great, except I'm not talking about why they can't stop.

I'm talking about why they do it in the first place.

Why do people start smoking? Why do people start drinking?

Peer pressure (or whatever it's called) is probably the thing causing it. Starting with people like Marilyn Manson cutting themselves on stage..

You're entirely missing the point. Peer pressure may cause a few people to start cutting, but the vast majority do it because of the reason I gave earlier. Don't trivialize this. It's not a "fun after school activity" that people do, just because "that other kid over there does it."

And as for Marilyn Manson, he's admitted to the fact that he's had a very difficult upbringing, and he knows that's a lot of the reasons why he is the way he is. (Don't get me wrong, I think he's a really great guy, very smart, very wise, incredibly talented, and I have a lot of respect for him.) But he's in the same boat as the young people we're talking about.

 

[Blow_Pop]

I'm a High School senior and through out almost my whole educational career I have realized that my generation has the chronic problem of self mutilation. In my four years of high school alone I have know or at least heard about three to five people cutting or some other form of self mutilation per year. Thats only what I heard about or knew through word of mouth and actually knowing the people that did it. It confuses me to think that one might hurt themselves to feel "alive". I cannot understand this concept. I understand that this is a grim topic but its one that I want to know about the reasons why. My fellow escapists what are your views on this? I also apologize if I have offended anyone.

Because they are stupid, that's why everyone does everything.

This is pretty much it. Someone did this first and so the rest of the stupid people are sheep and just follow whatever the first moron does.

It's plain stupidity at work.

Because its the cool thing to do and everyone wants to be cool which translates to stupidity in some cases. Some don't realize the risks involved with cutting and find out the hard way(ie death) from expirience of almost killing myself yeah its a stupid thing to do(oddly enough was never a cutter)