With Regards to Self-Harm

[TheRightToArmBears]

Well, it's harm. I'm not a big fan of smoking either, and that's probably less harmful than what self harm could escalate to. The problem with it is that 90% of the time it's done out of self-loathing or depression. It's a pretty short-term cure for depression, but then, self-loathing and depression aren't always things you feel like sharing with the world. Hell, if people I know knew about the various patches of old scars on my body then I would flip a nut.

But, anyway, that's a different tangent. Self harm is harmful (call me Sherlock), and it could easily go wrong and cause more serious injuries, way more than smoking. I would not advise it at all.

 

[PeePantz]

Self-harm is a massive problem.

It usually signals a deeper issue, and if left unattended, can lead to death.

75% of people who commit suicide self-harmed in the week leading up to their death.

I don't think cutting oneself is the problem that leads to suicide. These problems may manifest into one cutting themselves but the act does not lead to suicide. It provides a good visual warning that a person might be suicidal. A can equal Z. AB can equal Z. However, B alone never equals Z. Always need A.

OP, while I personally detest most cutters and the drama that always follows them, I don't think what you're doing is necessarily wrong. Many people get tattoos or piercings because they enjoy the pain. They just would rather have something other than naked scars to show for it.

 

[Emissary Laito]

Heh. Took me a while to get around to doing this thread again, so I'll answer what I think I should.

It's an empty fun. Because you feel like crap again after that rush when you cut and bleed is gone. Then you feel the need to do it again, and again, and again, constantly seeking that high, never in a normal state of mind, body and soul. Constant cutting will lead to health issues. And, your emotional pain never goes away, it's still there, you are just overriding it with physical pain. Now, you have compounded your problems. And as those emotional demons continue to fester, how much pain will it take you to hide it? Usually, it leads to suicide, as the pain just gets to be too much.

I didn't feel like crap in the first place, and I'm actually a pretty happy person.
I don't feel the need to do it over and over again, in fact I don't do it at the moment.
This isn't true at all dude.

I encourage self-harm BECAUSE of the risks, the more people who die from it means they can't pass their twisted ideas onto the next generation.

So... you think like this, and you think self-harmers are the ones with twisted ideas?
Nice.

I will start off by saying there is no way in hell anyone is going to believe you aren't an emo if your avatar is an emo and you post a thread like this. Just saying.

Anyway, there's a reason our bodies feel pain. It's our brains' way of telling us that something is happening that is dangerous to our bodies and we need to put a stop to it. And cutting is indeed different than smoking. All the info in the world supports that smoking kills you, but it doesn't directly and visually kill you everytime you smoke. It became as popular as it is today because people haven't always known that it kills you. Causing direct bodily harm, however, is an entirely different story. It is basic human instinct that you don't want anything penetrating your skin. The second you do, you feel pain, you bleed, and your brain asks you what the hell is going on. It directly and visually causes damage to your body. If you find enjoyment from this, there's a problem.

Heh, I should probably change it for the moment, but its the one I generally use with this name.

Maybe that's why its not as popular as smoking, because not as many people enjoy it.
But I disagree with you about it being a problem if you do enjoy it.

I actually have a fairly low pain tolerance.
Had to be really careful when I cut so that I didn't go over that line.
I would not take pleasure in doing a lot of damage to myself.

However, I also wouldn't judge anyone who did take pleasure in that.
Their decision really. As long as they've thought it through.

Also, since knowing that smoking was killing me would wear on my mind, I'd just consider that its a different form of pain it inflicts.
They still seem more or less the same to me.

EMO is short for EMOTIONAL.
EMO-Boys can be very very attractively cute looking.
I doubt you're coldhearted but that's beyond the topic.

What you described is why those who cut themselves do it.
Those who feel bad cut themselves because it makes them feel good.

I love your avatar <3

Heh, I know. I meant as in the stereotypical emo way.
I'm not cold-hearted at all.

Also, thanks.

I don't think cutting oneself is the problem that leads to suicide. These problems may manifest into one cutting themselves but the act does not lead to suicide. It provides a good visual warning that a person might be suicidal. A can equal Z. AB can equal Z. However, B alone never equals Z. Always need A.

OP, while I personally detest most cutters and the drama that always follows them, I don't think what you're doing is necessarily wrong. Many people get tattoos or piercings because they enjoy the pain. They just would rather have something other than naked scars to show for it.

Ah, I don't self-harm at the moment. Past tense on that dude

;-]

Thanks for replying to Pirate Kitty, you said what I was going to say pretty well.

And huh.
Didn't know that people did that actually, although it makes sense.

 

[Erana]

[quote="Pirate Kitty" post="18.250159.9255091"
OP, while I personally detest most cutters and the drama that always follows them, I don't think what you're doing is necessarily wrong. Many people get tattoos or piercings because they enjoy the pain. They just would rather have something other than naked scars to show for it.

Well, there's exhibitionists who self-mutilate for the sake of garnering some sort of attention, but a surprisingly large amount of people who do this try to hide evidence of their behavior. In college, a model for a life drawing course had old scars all down her arms. She made a statement in the first class that she cut, but stopped.
I thought it was a damn brave thing to do, sitting there naked with something that people could so easily judge her for. It was all ruined, though, when I had her in a class a year or two later, and quite a few of those scars were re-opened, and she had a sleeveless shirt on.
I try to have empathy for people who do such things to themselves, but I am put off by attention-seeking mutilation.

 

[neoontime]

What are you suggesting really. I mean I ask that you may be the exception and.....?

 

[PeePantz]

Well, there's exhibitionists who self-mutilate for the sake of garnering some sort of attention, but a surprisingly large amount of people who do this try to hide evidence of their behavior. In college, a model for a life drawing course had old scars all down her arms. She made a statement in the first class that she cut, but stopped.
I thought it was a damn brave thing to do, sitting there naked with something that people could so easily judge her for. It was all ruined, though, when I had her in a class a year or two later, and quite a few of those scars were re-opened, and she had a sleeveless shirt on.
I try to have empathy for people who do such things to themselves, but I am put off by attention-seeking mutilation.

Oh, I agree totally. Some people, you would never know this about and keep it totally hidden. I have a weird respect for these people in the way that they realize they're fucked up but don't want any attention drawn to them.
Also, that girl might have been attention seeking if she's showing up to be drawn naked all scarred. I only question her intention due to her actually not stopping and exposing her wounds to the world on the date you later mention.
I just feel this fad has gained a lot of steam in recent years especially with middle class to upper class teenage girls. It's almost purely for attention and it really is annoying. I've had some crazed attention whores for girlfriends that were recovering "cutters", and it's just so silly.

Also, I just looked at your profile, Happy Birthday in a couple of days!!

 

[smithy_2045]

I don't physically harm myself, but I do subconsciously sabotage my life. I'm not sure if that's better or worse.

 

[MeputthecaninthebininHL2]

The only thing I've seen from this thread is one dude trying to justify self harm, which in itself sounds stupid. Self harm can never be good because you're trying to gain joy from doing something you aren't supposed to be doing, those endorphins are there for when you're in the middle of combat and need something to keep you going, not for when you're bored one day and decided it'd be fun to cut yourself.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

I got my girlfriend to stop cutting by keeping her blood stained razors in my closet, so I have some experience with this. Honestly, I see absolutely no reason for someone to deliberately hurt themselves. And don't tell me it releases pleasurable endorphins. Exercise or watch your favorite movie or turn on the comedy channel or play a video game or hang out with friends or cook your favorite meal instead of digging a razor into your flesh. It's a silly and dangerous thing to do.

 

[Vryyk]

Self-harm is just one telling those around them that "Hey, I can't deal with these problems on my own. Please help me."

Not trying to be judgmental, merely stating what I've observed. Most people who claim that they do it for any other reason are just bullshitting themselves.

I'm trying not to be angry about this.

And of those who never tell anyone? Are they just attention-seekers too?