Poll: Self harm (serious topic)

[Jumplion]

I never have and I never plan to. I am much too stubborn to succumb to that kind of stuff, especially after I saw other kids with the scars and marks after they had done it. It's not something I want to mingle with and would only serve to make any sort of condition I have worse. I trust myself that if I ever do that kind of thing I would turn myself in to some treatment, but it's never a nice thing to do.

 

[Sovvolf]

Nope, pain hurts, not something I'd want to inflict on myself. Worst I've done is bite my arm when I got frustrated at a game but I haven't done that since I was 9. I honestly don't really understand why people do it.

 

[InfiniteSingularity]

For those willing to talk about it, I'm curious to hear the escapist's experiences with self harm - have you ever deliberately hurt yourself? What were you going through at the time? Or if you know someone who has. If you have no experiences with it, what are your opinions on it?

I'm wanting to know other people's experiences with self harm and I want to get some other perspectives on it. Let's keep this serious, as this can be a sensitive issue. And don't feel obliged to contribute

i'm too cool for self-harm. also keeping things serious is boring, why would we want to do that?

to me it simply seems foolish. childish. immature. it's like simply being an attention whore.

How can it be for attention when most people hide it out of fear?

 

[GodofDisaster]

I'll never do something like cutting myself, but when ever I feel enraged over something rather than screaming, I tend to bite myself in the arm. Though I've been told to stop.

 

[BrassButtons]

to me it simply seems foolish. childish. immature. it's like simply being an attention whore.

Because it's normal for people who want attention to cut themselves so they bleed? Do you have any comprehension of what it takes to actually do that? The desire to avoid injury and pain is pretty strong in most people, self-injurers included. Could YOU take a razor to your skin and make yourself bleed, deliberately, just because? I doubt it. So yeah, some people might do this (at least partially) for attention, but that does not mean it should be dismissed. Anyone who does this for attention needs help, just as much as someone who does it to cope with other issues.

For those willing to talk about it, I'm curious to hear the escapist's experiences with self harm - have you ever deliberately hurt yourself? What were you going through at the time? Or if you know someone who has. If you have no experiences with it, what are your opinions on it?

I started self-harming about a decade ago, and I still struggle with it. Mostly I use it as a way of coping with emotions that I don't know how to handle, but there's an addictive aspect as well. It's calming (I know that probably sounds very strange to anyone who has never self-harmed, but it's true).

 

[Outright Villainy]

No, but I used know someone who did, so I know well enough about it anyway. It really just hinted at a much bigger problem, so we didn't discuss that aspect so much. Though one time when I saw their arm covered in blood it hit pretty hard.

 

[FalloutJack]

Not on purpose. Accidents will happen.

 

[cthulhumythos]

For those willing to talk about it, I'm curious to hear the escapist's experiences with self harm - have you ever deliberately hurt yourself? What were you going through at the time? Or if you know someone who has. If you have no experiences with it, what are your opinions on it?

I'm wanting to know other people's experiences with self harm and I want to get some other perspectives on it. Let's keep this serious, as this can be a sensitive issue. And don't feel obliged to contribute

i'm too cool for self-harm. also keeping things serious is boring, why would we want to do that?

to me it simply seems foolish. childish. immature. it's like simply being an attention whore.

How can it be for attention when most people hide it out of fear?

good point.

i still don't understand it however.

 

[cthulhumythos]

to me it simply seems foolish. childish. immature. it's like simply being an attention whore.

Because it's normal for people who want attention to cut themselves so they bleed? Do you have any comprehension of what it takes to actually do that? The desire to avoid injury and pain is pretty strong in most people, self-injurers included. Could YOU take a razor to your skin and make yourself bleed, deliberately, just because? I doubt it. So yeah, some people might do this (at least partially) for attention, but that does not mean it should be dismissed. Anyone who does this for attention needs help, just as much as someone who does it to cope with other issues.

i have zero percent comprehension of why people inflict self-harm. i'm squeamish as hell though, and the very mention of slitting wrists makes me shudder. would i ever do it my self? answer: HELL THE FUCK NO. that would be goddamn painful. i'm dismissive of subjects such as this because the very aspect of pain agitates the shit out of me. seriously. i get agitated by thinking about stubbing my toe. i'm dismissive because i don't understand/like to think about why people do this.


so why check out this thread you might ask?.... i dunno. kinda the same reason i'd respond to a troll despite knowing very well that the individual is a troll. (i'm not calling you a troll, i'm just speaking in general)

 

[F4LL3N]

I just wanted to bring up another point. Although a lot of people don't actually do it for attention, is it really so bad if they do do it for attention? If you've ever had depression, you'd know it comes with a sense of isolation, and generally you aren't thinking straight.

So someone's crying out for help! Is that really such a terrible thing?

 

[BrassButtons]

i have zero percent comprehension of why people inflict self-harm. i'm squeamish as hell though, and the very mention of slitting wrists makes me shudder. would i ever do it my self? answer: HELL THE FUCK NO. that would be goddamn painful. i'm dismissive of subjects such as this because the very aspect of pain agitates the shit out of me. seriously. i get agitated by thinking about stubbing my toe. i'm dismissive because i don't understand/like to think about why people do this.

I can certainly appreciate being agitated by this concept. Hell, it can make ME squeamish and I self-harm. But there's a difference between dismissing it as in not wanting to dwell on the topic, and dismissing it as something worthy of mockery (which is how it comes across when you make comments about attention whores). There are already too many people who think this is a non-issue and that the only appropriate response is mockery (sadly, this includes ER staff in some cases).

 

[No-one Special]

I used to self harm a lot. My thing was burning. I would usually light a match, let it catch on the stick, then hold on against myself till the fire went out. Did that with an entire pack once.

Also used to scratch myself as well. Let your nail grow slightly long, and then just keep scratching the same spot for about 2 minutes. Eventually you draw blood and it leave one hell of a wound.

I'm actually training to be a youth worker right now, so I've studied into this a bit. Most people do it, whether they relies it or not, because the part of the brain that controls pain and the part that controls emotions are different. So if you're either under a lot of emotional stress or you get to a point of total numbness, (most people can never truely understand that unless they've experienced is or seen it. The feeling of numbness is more similar to an outer body experience. You're just aware of things, but you don't interact. You don't feel or do or want anything. You're just a husk of a person.) self harming causes the brain to work with another part and hence distracts you from those feelings.

It can also be used as a form of self-punishment either for making what they perceive to be a big mistake. It acts as a reminder to never do it again, because you remember that pain and that scar with that mistake.

 

[EternalFacepalm]

I punch walls when I'm angry as an outlet of anger and frustration, but that's not because of the pain, so... I don't know. Maybe?

 

[ScarlettRage]

I did, but not for attention, but more for release. It sounds strange but I always felt better after cutting. my boyfriend asked me to stop because it worried him. so I did. Still get the urge to do it sometimes, but not like I used too.. also I smoke sometimes... which sort of counts.

 

[BrassButtons]

Most people do it, whether they relies it or not, because the part of the brain that controls pain and the part that controls emotions are different. So if you're either under a lot of emotional stress or you get to a point of total numbness, (most people can never truely understand that unless they've experienced is or seen it. The feeling of numbness is more similar to an outer body experience. You're just aware of things, but you don't interact. You don't feel or do or want anything. You're just a husk of a person.) self harming causes the brain to work with another part and hence distracts you from those feelings.

I've never heard that stuff about the brain before, but it makes sense. I know that I use SI to "snap out of it" when I'm feeling really emotional. In a lot of ways it feels like flipping a switch--it never occurred to me that this could by why. I will definitely need to look into this more.

 

[Zyst]

I have, but not as seriously as what you probably mean. I mean stuff like biting hard on my hand or arm to dope myself when I get a serious injury, but never in a way that is meant to be suicidal or anything of the sort.

 

[SkullKing84]

I was a child i was depressed, but never inflicted self-harm. I had a brother who'd beat the snot outta me daily (family call it rough housing).

When i was a teenager my home life became miserable and i suffered migraines daily. I tried cutting once... I went "ow" and stopped. The 2nd time I took a double edged razor blade and chewed it till it was a crumpled little ball... blood gushed and it didn't hurt (until i put a hand full of salt in my mouth to stop the bleeding). for a few days i didn't have a migraine and life didn't seem bad cause i felt alive. This went on till i found a better and safer outlet (Dungeons and Dragons)

As a family man now, do i still hurt myself? Yes, but only if it helps people oddly enough...like skip meals to make sure they eat, and finally when i'm overly stressed, i now without thinking pick at my skin till it bleeds(it never heals right).

 

[B-Rye]

Used to cut. Graduation requirement stress, bad break-up, and a project that was failing all in a span of a few weeks. Had contemplated it for awhile. I would cut only in non-vital areas away from major veins. It felt good (the release of adrenaline, endorphins, etc.). Eventually looked at myself and saw that I was getting nowhere with it. I quit cutting my skin with a knife and started tearing my fingertips up on a bass guitar and have been in a healthy love affair with music ever since.

I still like pain though. So I get tattoos when I can afford them or just play my bass.

 

[redisforever]

on two occasions ive used super hot metal to cauterize wounds...does that count?

Not really, that's anti-harm...kinda, I think.

Captcha: Music: unitical
Odd...

OT:
No, never have. Unless you count nail-biting, then yes, quite a but...

 

[manic_depressive13]

Depends on your defenition of self harm. I've never cut myself. I drink, smoke, and I gave up meat with the full knowledge that I don't have the diet to supplement the nutritional loss. I've seriously considered suicide as a way out, but I don't personally see the appeal of self harm. The reason I want to die is to escape pain. I don't see how inflicting more, avoidable pain on myself, on top of the emotional and physical pain I have been forced to feel by my loving family, will help.