What are the causes a person to cut themselves?

[lionquack]

I noticed my ex had some cutting scars on her arm. There were 4-5 very fine slits on her forearm.

 

When we broke up she admitted she told me 'she is up'.

 

What brings someone to cut them self?

 

Are there deep phychological problems for this to happen?

[Ivory_Tower]

I would say that a person who chooses to cut themselves is experiencing some deep emotional pain.

 

The only way that they know how to release that pain is by cutting themselves. For them, I believe it is a kind of relief, but only temporary at that.

 

Your ex is clearly having a hard time, whether in her own life or if you broke up with her recently. Perhaps she doesn't know how to properly deal with everything. Be mindful and ask her to talk to someone.

[lionquack]

Ivory,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

The scars on her arm were not fresh. They are old and healed.

 

I finished with her a month ago because she is manipulative and a liar. She has a boyfriend in another country. I found out and dumped her.

[avman]

Cutting is generally caused by unresolved psychological/emotional issues and the inability to cope with them. People who cut haven't found another healthy way to cope with what is bothering them. So they turn to injuring which does in fact help them cope with their problems.

[lionquack]

My ex who is 27 told me she cut herself when she was 13.

 

Does she still have these deep rooted emotional problems? The way she fooled me into thinking she loved me certinly suggests this. She told me she is messed up and i would never understand or accept why she did what she did. (she basically was seeing me but was keeping along distance realtionship going on throug texts and skype)

[Casey13]

It’s a form of escapism and often addiction very similar as with abusing drugs. Cutting oneself physically often helps ease emotional suffering as the body is forced to focus on the physical pain associated with the cutting. People with personality or mental disorders, history of depression or those with extremely low self esteem (where they feel they deserve mutilation) typically resort to cutting whereas more grounded individuals often go into binge stages of drug abuse to deal with the same emotional problems and find escapism.

[sparkles4]

I don't think the reasons are exactly the same for everyone, and even for me the reasons were different every time. Some, like me, have only cut a few times under extreme circumstances, while others make cutting a more frequent habit.

 

Sometimes, I was able to distract myself from pain on the inside by causing pain on the outside. It's hard to focus on both at the same time. Other times I was so angry that I wanted to hurt someone, and had only myself. And some days I was numb inside and just wanted to feel something.

 

For some people, it becomes almost like a compulsion. A lot of people will describe a rush of endorphins that comes with cutting yourself, which I can attest to. Whether it's a real phenomenon or is all in your head, I'm not sure, but some people will cut just to feel that feeling of relief, or even happiness.

 

And then there are people who do it for attention. These are usually the people who make no effort to hide that they're doing it and will even advertise the fact. Most legit cutters are very secretive about what they do, and will take measures to hide their cuts, either with clothing or by cutting on a part of the body that is typically hidden.

[sparkles4]

People with personality or mental disorders, history of depression or those with extremely low self esteem (where they feel they deserve mutilation) typically resort to cutting whereas more grounded individuals often go into binge stages of drug abuse to deal with the same emotional problems and find escapism.

 

While I can agree with the first part of you post, I dunno about this bit. I don't think that someone who cuts is any less grounded than someone who goes out and gets wasted to deal with their problems. It's just that drinking, and even doing certain drugs, can arguably be socially acceptable behavior, or at least behavior that most people can understand and relate to. Cutting, however, is seen as disgusting and bizarre by many people, so people assume that cutters must all be really effed up when in reality what they are doing is not so different than someone who abuses drugs or alcohol. They are both resorting to unhealthy behavior in order to temporarily feel better; the only difference is that cutting is not as socially accepted or well understood.