Cutting

Just wondering if anyone could enlighten me about why people cut. It seems that cutting is a fashion nowadays....a bunch of my friends do it, supposedly in a "non-suicidal" kind of way, which makes no sense to me. Any opinions are welcome

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~Aphrodite~

 

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Well, apparently I'm old, because I have no clue what you mean by "cutting". Enlighten us?

 

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Riomacleod

Taking a razorblade or some other sharp object and cutting yourself with it....
Sorry for the confusion

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I"m sure someone will mention how many cultures have things about ritual scarring and crap like that, but it's nothing more than another trendy cool stunt. Some kids wear backwards baseball caps, or all black clothes and make-up, or ride skateboards. Whatever they can do to be special, to make themselves feel part of some elite group, even if that group is elite only in their own eyes and nobody else's. A misguided and abused need for acceptance. And kinda dumb too.

 

I felt this way also, when I first heard about it, but I'm not certain that it should be dismissed casually. Granted, there will be people that are “tag-alongs” for some bizarre reason, but I believe that there are those who will scarify their body for the attention the need. I can't call this misguided, if they feel so outcast, alienated, rejected, whatever. I hit on this slightly in another thread. If "cutting" is done out of some need for unfulfilled attention, the problem lies also with those who are supposed to be providing the interpersonal relationships with an individual (parents, teachers, friends.)

I watched the movie "28 Days" with a friend who, although well now, abused himself physically as a youth due to being "outcast" and ignored by his parents. There is a scene in the film where Sandra Bullock's roommate inflicts a terrible cut upon herself and says, “It feels better.” When asked what it feels better than, she replies, “Everything.” Under his breath, I heard my friend mutter, “Amen.” There are people in the world for whom physical pain feels better than coping with their emotions.

Peace.

 

I agree, goofyfish. I had a friend of my sister who cut up the underside of her arm for various reasons, and she did it to alleviate stress and the 'weight of the world,' basically. Her parents took her to a psychiatrist though and she stopped doing it. Given the risk of opening up a large blood vessel or getting that metal disease that escapes my mind right now I'd recommend the psychiatrist before you start cutting up your arm, because chances are something is bothering you and the shrink could probably help you out.

 

Goofy,
You said it. I used to do this when I was younger and to me... I havent thought about this in a looong time, but Im almost positive it was to take away the mental pain. I used to cut my hands up, and I would concentrate on the pain of my hands that I wouldnt think about the real problem at hand. I used to put cigs out on my hand for the same reason. Physical pain is alot more tolerable than mental for people that have experienced lots of mental anguish. But I do think that when large amounts of people are doing it, its just to get attention and be cool. Like, "Hey look at me, I can take pain, Im cool."

Or maybe Im just getting old

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Groove on

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Hi, all ...

The thing I find interesting is that, unless I'm mistaken, cutting appears
to be pretty much a female thing, like bulimia.

Anyone aware of the stats?

Take care

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Chag,
I think girls tend to be more melodramatic and emotional than boys. Plus its a cry for attention and you know girls love attention.

Groove on

 

Chagur

*cutting appears to be pretty much a female thing*
Most of the cutters I know are male...hmm... That doesn't surprise me tho...we girls can be pretty big Drama Queens.
~Aphrodite~

 

Cutting, or self-harm as it''s properly known, is not a cry for help, a fashionable alternatve or a rite of passage. Instead, it can be the only way of coping with what seems like insurmountable stress for people who need a last resort. The reasons people choose to do this are many and varied, but almost all are for purely personal reasons - not related to other people.Rather than a difference in statistics because females are 'drama queens', the statistics are approximately equal. People who self-harm are often secretive, feeling like self-harm is something they should be ashamed of, and unless we learn to understand and accept this coping stretegy, regardless of how anathema it seems to us, this view will be propogated. There are many websites related to this [just type self-harm into a search engine].

Bill

 

MutualDesire ...

Thanks for the 'self-harm' lead and welcome to Sciforums.

Found the following:

Didn't realize that males are pretty heavy into it too.

Take care

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Hi, Bill... welcome to SciForums!

I think I would disagree that the reasons are purely personal. Individuals that suffer from "Deliberate Self-Harm Syndrome" often relate that ther was a major change in their life -- parents divorce or death, a history of family violence -- and that they suffer from intense feelings of fear, hurt, anger, rejection or abandonment. While the act of self-mutilation itself is surely personal, the factors that lead up to it would certainly be impacted by those around a person.

As you stated, cutting is a coping strategy. Coping is a behavior, which an individual utilizes to get through stressful times; relief from overwhelming emotions, for example. From what I have read, many people who engage in this behavior see their wounds as a way to see the mental pain they feel inside. That by causing these injuries they are bringing their pain out to be seen and perhaps healed. That would seem to me a "cry for help".

Peace.

 

Goofyfish,
You took the words right out of my mouth :bugeye:

MutualDesire,
welcome to sciforums!!!

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~Aphrodite~

 

Yes, you're right, for some people it would be a stress-related problem. However, back when I was in high school, people were doing it to be trendy and cool and all that crap.

 

Hello all - it's nice to be here

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. Just trying to reclarify my position:

When I said it was a purely personal thing, I accept that it can be caused by external forces - most overwhelming stress is - the reasons for doing it are not to prove anything to the world, or to appeal to it.

You are correct in saying that people sometimes self-harm to give a physical manifestation of their emotional needs. What little I read suggests 3 main reasons for this:

1. Physical injury releases endorphins which naturally calm the person.
2. Physical injury can be seen as 'fake pain' - while it hurts more, it is easier to deal with than the real emotional pain. I [perhaps wrongly] make the analogy between this and when I get a bee/nettle sting, it actually feels less painful if I pinch the area - because this pain feels less severe.
3. It is easier to nurture physical injury, and being able to take care of yourself can be emotionally rewarding.

It is very rare that people who self-harm will show off their scars while feeling the stress - people who used to self-harm but no longer need it are less secretive - but just because they're making something tangible does not mean that they are doing this in order to show someone.

When I am talking about this, I am not talking about people cutting themselves to be cool - I do not doubt that this exists, but this is different to self-harm, for the reasons I stated above. That type of cutting is stupid and 'folding to peer-pressure', whereas self-harm can be a rational action to take.

On the same subject, I've never heard of it as 'deliberate self-harm syndrome', or seen the people who use this tool as sufferers. Certainly they are under such stress in other places that they feel the need to take this extreme measure to alleviate it, but I don't think that it is an illness. Instead, it's a payoff between stress and pain which people rationally choose, while dreaming of a time when the stress isn't so bad that they have to use this.

Bill

 

I don't cut myself and I don't know anyone who would.

 

First time I used quote

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Could you expand on this thought a bit? I am having trouble getting my brain around it.

Peace.

 

Hey i asked my girlfriend she used to cut herself and although she's (almost) stopped she said;


"There are all sorts of reasons why people cut themselves. For somepeople its a way of being in control - in so much as "Its my body, My life i can do what i like with it".
Some people feel they deserve it - they feel guilty (often for no particular reason) and its their way of overcoming the difficult times in thei life.
For others its a cry for help - hoping (maybe that some1 will see the scars and ask about them - its NOT attention seeking.

People who cut themselves are deeply upset about something. Its not fashionable and i can't believe anyone would suggest so!!!
Its also NOT for want of being a Drama Queen!!!
You CAN'T call someone who feels the need to hurt themselves by ripping their flesh attention seeking!!

I'm sorry if this arguement is muddled but i feel very strongly about this. And i'm sorry i can't put my piont over clearer.

But here goes

People who cut themselves have NO choice! As crazy as it sounds, it something somepeople feel they need to do. And its not a subject to be approached lightly!!!

Finally, anyone who does feel like this really should tell their GP. Even if it feels like the end of the World there is always somekind of help availible.

Anyone who wants to email me directly about this can do so at SMP279@hotmail.com

Take Care
Suzie x "




Well there you go - does this help?