People thinking cutting is for suicide or attention.

I won't ramble on about why I cut, but one thing I will say is that I hate it when people assume that people who cut do it either for attention or to try and kill themselves- and one thing I want to say is that if anything, when I cut it makes me feel more alive. I feel the pain when there is nothing else to feel. Cutting keeps me alive, even though I hate it. Nobody knows I cut. I'm just the girl who smiles always, helps people with their problems, and is expected to have everlasting cheerfulness...it gets tiring. I heard a group of people talking the other day about cutting- they had it all so wrong! Nobody ever seems to understand. I think it's impossible to know unless you actually self harm. What are all you guys feelings on all of this?

attention not suicide. I think the same thing about overdoses. If someone really wants to be dead theyd make sure it happened, theyd use a shotgun or something. I think if people od or cut their wrists while theyre totally isolated they're trying to kill themselves. So I think it can be both.

What I feel is that I don't want to hurt myself, and I don't understand people that do.

 

But hey, to each their own. Personally if I felt I needed a thrill I would go skydiving.

attention not suicide. I think the same thing about overdoses. If someone really wants to be dead theyd make sure it happened, theyd use a shotgun or something. I think if people od or cut their wrists while theyre totally isolated they're trying to kill themselves. So I think it can be both.

 

You can fail with a shotgun just as easy as you can trying to overdose on drugs and atleast with drugs you wont be completely disfigured the rest of your life but hey who thinks about that when they really want to die?

Anyway, going completely off cue... When I would cut it wasn't for attention nor suicide either, infact only two of my closest friends knew I did it at the time and never once did I try to commit suicide by cutting my wrists I always cut where no-one could see. So, not everyone does it for the attention or to die and I hate when people argue with that. For people who have ever cut they know, there are ways to cut and kill yourself and there are ways to just cut to release pain and those who DONT cut most of the time dont have a clue.

I know a girl who cuts and the only reason I know is because I caught her. She definitely does not do it for attention.

However, I know another girl who cuts. This girl will get upset, tell the people she's hanging out with she is going to go cut herself and then leaves so we can all chase her down to try and stop her. She definitely does it for attention.

 

Cutting is dangerous. Have you tried talking to anyone about it? There are other, safer ways to help you feel alive. What happens if you one day you accidentally cut too deep?

 

If being someone you aren't gets tiring, stop! There is no need to please everyone or anyone for that matter when it causes you so much misery! Please seek out help for this...

What I feel is that I don't want to hurt myself, and I don't understand people that do.

 

But hey, to each their own. Personally if I felt I needed a thrill I would go skydiving.

 

You've obviously never been to the point of life where physical pain felt better than the emotional pain you're feeling. As said in my other post, those who have never cut have no idea what goes on inside the head of a cutter or how it makes one feel.

I agree with mythical..

 

You can not judge nor attempt to understand something you have never experienced.

I dont think its for attension or suicide, if people goes around telling people they cut its there way of saying they want help.

 

People who judge they dont understand and i guess they never will til they go there.

 

I cut sometimes havent in a few weeks now, i cut on my upper legs so no one can see or know so i know thats not for attension i do it for some kind of release and to feel better.

 

For all yous cutters out there dont listen to what people say about it they will only make you feel worse inside and they dont know how you must be feeling.

So you use the physical pain to distract you from your emotional pain?

 

Kinda like how If I break your finger you won't have a headache anymore?

 

Fair enough, but maybe you should find a healthier way to distract yourself? Maybe even a healthier way to hurt yourself? Run until your legs and lunghs are burning.

IronLion, once it again it goes to say if you don't understand dont judge.. No, cutting to ease the emotional pain ISNT the same as breaking your finger to ease an headache..

Obviously you've never been there before so you can never understand and it's people like you who are quick to judge and point fingers that someone is cutting for attention or trying to commit suicide.

IronLion, once it again it goes to say if you don't understand dont judge.. No, cutting to ease the emotional pain ISNT the same as breaking your finger to ease an headache..

Obviously you've never been there before so you can never understand and it's people like you who are quick to judge and point fingers that someone is cutting for attention or trying to commit suicide.

 

You're being a little quick to judge.

 

"You've obviously never been to the point of life where physical pain felt better than the emotional pain you're feeling."

 

You said that. That's why I said what I said. Why don't you tell me why you cut or used to cut in the past?

You've obviously never been to the point of life where physical pain felt better than the emotional pain you're feeling. As said in my other post, those who have never cut have no idea what goes on inside the head of a cutter or how it makes one feel.

 

You are in no position to judge what I have or haven't been through in my life. The people that know some of the darker points of my life are amazed that I am as sane and rational as I am.

 

Cutting is just one form of inflicting harm on yourself, and I assure you I fully understand what self injury is.

Everyone goes through hard times- some people just deal with it differently than others. I understand that cutting is a serious problem, not a way for attention or to commit suicide. However, some of the people who are judging (aka IronLion) are merely trying to help you see things from a different light. You say cutting is the only way to release your pain or whatever you are trying to release... perhaps some of these "judgers" have found other, healthier ways to release their anger, pain, etc and are only trying to help you find one as well. You feel they are being to quick to judge but so are you. With an attitude of "you don't understand" (which, I agree with to a point- seom people don't get why you do it and the seriousness of it but some DO) you may never find happiness. Why not let someone try to understand??

I havent had access to the computer today until now, so its a bit of a long post. But i felt i wanted to add a comment to a lot of things that have been added.

Firstly to Brooke_Mariano-Sodjin, my opinion on overdoses is that the person who takes the overdose has the intention of killing themselves. I dont see this as attention seeking, because they think they are going to be dead before they can see anybodies reaction. You say you think it could be both, and i see your point- but have you considered it could be neither for many people?

Iceman, it can be very difficult to understand why people cut. Some people prefer physical pain to emotional pain. You say if you needed a thrill you would go skydiving. Personally, i wouldnt really call self harm a thrill. I hate it, but unfortunately its something ive come to rely on. (Though i am trying to stop.)

Mythical_Suicide, im exactly the same as you were- i hide my cuts or cut where nobody would see. I agree with the fact that when people cut , they are aware they could kill themselves, but also know how not to kill themselves. It’s often the pain they look for.

Thank you very much for your concern chickidee23. I havent ever actually spoke to anyone about my self harm. I tried once but it was way too difficult. Im scared i’ll be judged or that nobody would really understand. Which brings us back to this topic of the fact that people might think i do it for attention, or to try and kill myself. It does worry me sometimes that i might accidently cut too deep, or get an infection, but the way i see it at the moment is that that can be a problem for me to deal with at the time if it ever happens.

Mythical_Suicide you are so right when you say those who have never cut have no idea what goes on inside the head of a cutter or how it makes one feel. Others just see cutting as madness. I dont feel wrong in the head, its just something i do to cope with things.

I like the way you see it Lost_Love. A lot of people would say that people who actually tell people about their self harm is attention seeking, but it is often a cry for help. I guess there are two ways of looking at it. Also, congrats on not cutting in a few weeks! Its a big achievement, so be proud of yourself! I know i would be, but i havent been strong enough to stop for very long yet.

IronLion85, youre kinda right with the whole using physical pain to distract you from emotional pain thing, but the finger and headache thing...no not really. Although i get youre meaning with it being one pain that masks another pain. Its great that youre attempting to understand why people self harm, and right now im not quite seeing why people are accusing you of judging. However i accept that everyone has their own opinion. Chickidee is right in saying that perhaps these people have just found healthier ways to deal with things.

(sorry it’s such a long post!)

You make it sound like a good thing... if you really want to feel alive, turn off the NIN, get out of your bedroom and go do something fun.

 

I know that the kids who do this aren't trying to kill themselves, but if it's pain they're after, you'd thik that some of them would just slap themselves on the belly or something. But no, almost every one of the however million of them cut themselves at the wrist and 'cover it up' with a whole bunch of wristbands (oh, that isn't obvious!) Then they come online and brag about it, like it's an edgy cool fad or something.

 

People who don't cut average just as many problems in their lives as those who do, and that's why I don't feel any extra sympathy when I see that someone has scarred up his or her skin for life by slashing at it over and over.

Not once did i say it was a good thing. Im extremely ashamed of it, and the only place ive dared talk about it is online, where i know people will be on my wavelength. Somewhere where we can help and support each other. Im not pround and i do not brag. However, the unfortunate thing is that online there are also people who judge you and accuse you of doing it because it's 'an edgy cool fad'.

 

I don't ask for your sympathy. Nor did i ask for you to write such a spiteful comment. That was uncalled for. Also, you have no right to judge my life. You just have no idea. Perhaps you ought to try and understand why people self harm before slagging it off.

Thats a bit harsh, people come here to talk about it and see what others think not to brag about it. You dont know how these cutters feel at all so you cant judge them at all. Yes some people are strong and dont need to cut but there is alot who are not that strong and need to cut for some kinda release cuz they cant take the pain anymore and cutting releases that. I cut so go and judge me if you want cuz the truth is you do not know how i feel inside at all, and you sure as hell do not know how all the other cutters feel

I think cutters generally fall into two categories :

 

1. Attention Seekers - those who make it obvious that they do it with wristbands, getting caught doing it or talking about it

 

2. Pain Maskers - those who have an issue & use the pain from cutting to block out what they should be really dealing with, in essense bottling it up. Not really any different to someone who drinks their problems away essentially.

 

Have to say, I'm with somebloke on this one.

 

Attention Seekers? i think its more of a cry for help, thats why they talk about it, they talk and hope someone will give em a hand at getting help, They make it obvious cuz they want to see if people even care.

 

When i was in school my friend was a really bad cutter and everyone knew, people judge her for it when none of them at all knew what she was going thru in her life, i was the only one who did, all those people that judged her it just made her feel worse and cut even more. So befor yous go and judge just think on what it could do to someone

When i was in school my friend was a really bad cutter and everyone knew, people judge her for it when none of them at all knew what she was going thru in her life, i was the only one who did, all those people that judged her it just made her feel worse and cut even more.

That shows right there what a bad idea cutting really is. Many, if not most people, and especially those of parenting age, wrongly but naturally associate all self-injury with mental illness because when they were young only the deeply disturbed and unbalanced did it. They simply aren't going to respond in a positive way, even though the practice has now regrettably spread to segments of the general population.

 

Understand? Cutting got your friend nowhere. You only knew what was going on in her life because she TOLD you. Talking is the much better way to get results.

 

I don't judge harshly, LostLove. I've had friends who cut, and I've done some dumber things than that. It's all in my post history here on ENA. It just makes me mad that so many intelligent young folks have somehow gotten the message that self-harm is the right way to get attention/sympathy/peer acceptance/help. If you truly care about someone who's cutting, you should tell him/her it's futile and that they can get the help they need the same way that other people who have the same problems in their lives but aren't cutters do: by opening up their mouths and asking for it. LOUDLY.

Not once did i say it was a good thing. Im extremely ashamed of it, and the only place ive dared talk about it is online, where i know people will be on my wavelength. Somewhere where we can help and support each other. Im not pround and i do not brag. However, the unfortunate thing is that online there are also people who judge you and accuse you of doing it because it's 'an edgy cool fad'.

 

I don't ask for your sympathy. Nor did i ask for you to write such a spiteful comment. That was uncalled for. Also, you have no right to judge my life. You just have no idea. Perhaps you ought to try and understand why people self harm before slagging it off.

Well, you asked what our feelings were and I gave an honest answer. There was no spite or hatred behind it at all.

 

If you want help and support, you can find it here - but only by talking about what's causing you to cut, not by starting a thread claiming that it 'keeps you alive'. What message are you sending the 13-year-olds who read these forums by saying that?

Cutting is what kept her alive all this time, without that i dont think she would be here right now. And not everybody shows off there cuts i sure as hell dont no one at all knows (plus havent cut in weeks now) so i dont think i do it for attension or anything like that.

 

 

 

She didnt say its ok to cut or tell others to cut when they have a probelm did she? no i dont think so, she came and asked what people think about it and those who think its for attension. Cutting has kept alot of people alive tho, including myself, yes i know we should find a healthier way to deal with it, but once you start its abit hard to stop

LostLove, I've followed your posts and poems through a few username changes for both of us, and I know for sure that everything you say on ENA comes straight from the heart. If you say that cutting keeps people alive then I'm sure you believe it, but you're wrong; it does not. Just the reverse, in fact; it prevents people from seeking real assistance that will actually do something for their problems, and locks them in to a never-ending spiral of shame and despair. This HAS led to suicide attempts, including in one case that I know of quite personally. This girl felt abandoned by some friends, and because she felt worse than usual she cut deeper than she had in the past, ending up bleeding pretty badly and scared out of her wits when she realized the seriousness of what she had done. From over two thousand kilometers away, I begged her with my stomach aching to tell her parents and get stitched up. She finally gave in to my pleas, and got the meds and counseling that should have been her first course of therapy. That was a horrible, gut-wrenching experience for me. I hope I never have to go through it again, or find out that some good person like yourself has left us in the morning of life when things got too heavy to handle without proper care.

 

Cutting doesn't make the underlying problems go away. When they get worse, so does the bleeding. It's useless. Of course it becomes hard to stop - the more it's done, the worse cutters feel, and the more they think they need to do it. What a terrible quicksand trap for young folks to fall into! The more they struggle to escape their emotional pain by cutting, the deeper they sink.

 

If you still don't follow me, look at how the OP describes her feelings about what she's doing:

 

I hate it

 

Im extremely ashamed of it

 

Be honest, now... does that sound like the cutting is helping her, or adding to her misery?

I have to be honest here, I'm more interested to know what cutters think will happen to them if they don't cut because I KNOW exactly what will happen if they don't cut and that's ABSOULTELY NOTHING.

 

The 'feeling' will come, and it will rise, reach a peak and subside on it's own because it is afterall, just a feeling.

 

Funny how the mind plays tricks on us at highly emotional, stressful times isn't it? It also makes cutting a futile exerecise.

 

Just thought I'd pass that on.

Well, you asked what our feelings were and I gave an honest answer. There was no spite or hatred behind it at all.

 

If you want help and support, you can find it here - but only by talking about what's causing you to cut, not by starting a thread claiming that it 'keeps you alive'. What message are you sending the 13-year-olds who read these forums by saying that?

 

true, i did ask for you feelings, so i appriciate your honest answer, but in my oppinion it wasnt done in a nice way. 'get out of your bedroom and do something fun' yeh thats being very polite isnt it!

 

right now whats causing me to cut is very difficult to talk about. but i dont think you guys need to know that right now to be able to support me. its still possible without knowing facts.

 

i never told anyone to go out and cut. i did state that it keeps me alive, simply because i believe it does. if any 13 year olds are on this site, they are old enough to know the risks of the content of some of the posts. im sorry if it makes anyone feel uncomfortable, but i thought this sight was to help us discuss our feelings and support each other.

Nothing that I said was meant as an attack; I'm sorry that I made it sound that way to you. I support your healing 100%... just not your self-destructive behavior. Fair enough?

 

I hope that you'll find something in this thread that helps you get to a happier place.