Is it legal?

[dpressedone89]

ok ill try to keep this short, i cut if you know me you know this i have for like 7 years now. i just want to know once i turn 18 is it legal to cut myslef?

-sTiTcHeS

[Emotional]

Im not sure...I think some one can put you

into a padded room or something if you get caught

...someone can easily respond to that by thinking

you need some help and it result..Things can become hard...

[dpressedone89]

i know they can if your under 18 (experience is not fun) i think once im 18 i legally have the right to do whatever i want to my body but i dont know

[arwen]

Why do you care?

 

ilse.

[dpressedone89]

becuase i want to know if ill be able to do what i want without having to worry.

[Guarana Galrok]

I asked the same question a while ago in this forum and got equally inconclusive responses. I assert that it is illegal because suicide is illegal and so is cutting others. However, I doubt there is any law other than improvised consequence addressing the issue.

[The1]

maybe u should jus stop cutting. that way u wont have anything to worry. if u have problems hit the gym or a punching bag. its a great way to let off some steam and for getr about depression

[dpressedone89]

well the reason i think it may be legal is because S&M sex is legal, pain for pleasure is legal why not pain for pain? and i have tried to quit and i dont really want to

[punchy504]

well it would be legal until someone who cares about you decides that due to your inability to act in your own best interests you need to have a guardian be appointed to you, if they are successful in court, you could ultimately find yourself in a facility until you have worked out all of the issues that are causing you to cut in the first place. wcs of course

 

it really is an unhealthy behavior

[arwen]

Even if you make killing yourself illegal, there is really not much someone can ever do about it, in reality.

 

I have never heard of people getting arrested for LEGAL purposes for this, but you CAN get 'arrested' to be hospitalized for this. I was anorexic for 3 years, and the doctor has more than once threatened me to have me in a hospital with a tube in my nose. When you are underage, I think the same law for this holds in America. A parent/guardian could make you go into a hospital or clinic and force treatment because you are a danger to yourself.

 

I am very happy that they threatened me this way: I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for people taking my problem serious and helping me by warning a doctor and my family. Of course, at that time they made me go ballistic!

 

You can get out of this depression, depressedone. I know things like this scare you now, but if you battle this, you will be so happy that you did in retrospect.

 

Ilse.

[SilverManic]

It's like an adiction more than anything. I used to do it too but you don't need to do it to solve your problems infact it just makes it worse. I made a promise to my boyfriend that I would never do it again and I haven't for 5 months now (After 7 years of cutting). Maybe you should make a promise to someone you really care about and you could respect that promise and not do it. Thats how I got over it.

~S x

[Finchabald]

It is definitely legal in england.

[PammyFoo]

But in the Uk they can have you sectioned if they believe you are a danger to yourself or others

 

So though it may be legal you could still end up being forced into a hospital and detained there until seen as fit to return to your normal life

[darkblue]

Yes, you can be detained under the mental health act.

[SilverManic]

Yes you can but it's very unuseral that they would do so. Unless you have some seriously desterbing behavior, won't admit that it's a problem or have a mental health illness. It's very common in England as a vent for stress and I was told by my doctor that it's very common in young teens. They tend to send you to a conciler rather than a hospital actually. It's only older people that get sent to hospital and even then it's still rare.

 

Thats probably because the majority of adults will 'wake up and smell the roses' or you won't hear about it because they are already admited. In my opinion these things can be delt with by ones self and you don't need to see a therepist to sort out your problems half the time. It's often caused by mental and physical abuse.

 

It can also be done for no particular reason, just pure stress or anger. By hating yourself, attention seeking or in other cases the person will be trying not to draw attention to themself. Someone who is outcast, bullied or popular. It doesn't really specify for someone to hurt themself. It's a simple vent for anger like smoking and can be given up if enough will power is put into quiting.

 

People who self harm are not stupid, are very often inteligent people who just feel down, neglected or genrally just in pain. My doctor regarded it as quite normal in teens. It is legal in England yes but just because it's legal doesn't mean you should do it.

 

However attempted suicide or suicide it'self is not legal. As long as you don't do anything that could kill you (cut to close to veins etc).

 

People who self harm are often put under even more pressure which makes them do it even more. Scars are genrally un actractive especially on females and people always point them out eventually! All of my friends have asked me about it sooner or later and what can you tell them?

 

Another thing to bare in mind is that your children may one day ask what those scars are. Will you lie to them? Will you tell them you wanted to die? Can you really talk about this with your child? Whats to say that they see it and don't go and do it themself. Follow your example? Would you want that?

 

I know I've gone a little off topic but these are things I ran threw my mind in the process of stopping self harm. Self harm is not just cutting, it's burning, hitting or harming yourself in any thinkable way.

 

~S.

[lostlove]

i know you've probably heard this before, but i'll say it again...please quit. i know it's extremely difficult to quit, but it is worth it, trust me. i used to cut and burn myself, and there's really nothing else quite like it, but it feels SO GOOD to be rid of the addiction. it's better to quit now while you still can...a friend of mine cuts terribly, and her arm is basically caving in from all of the scars. it'll be like this forever, and i'm sure she'll regret it. cutting helps for a tiny bit, but the next day all it brings is guilt, sadness, or anger. i know that you can't quit until you're ready, but please, for the sake of your future and your loved ones, work hard at it when you are. good luck.

[Tigris]

You're right it doesn't look very nice when people see scars on your arms. Some people do ask me what caused the bruising on my right arm. It's not bruising it's scar tissue from self harming! I tell them the truth. I did it last year when I thought my family didn't love me or I was angry with myself! It is also through 'baggage' I never dealt with when I was 13-25,(I'm 41!) Mine is caused by scratching until I bleed! When I see the blood I feel better! When it healed I just did it over and over again. My right arm is covered in scars from the wrist to the elbow!

 

My depression has got better this year and I haven't hurt myself once! I found it hard, but I had to learn how to love myself again before I could progress. I've been getting help from a psychiatrist for 4 years. However, September 2004 I went to college to do GCSE Psychology. It was during these lessons that I discovered the answers to some of my problems!

 

You must stop self harming! If you don't you'll discover that you've gone too far and then there'll be no turning back!

[jna35]

Why do you want to hurt yourself? I used to do that too, many many years ago. Why don't you want to stop? I did it because the physical pain was much easier to deal with than the emotional pain. I stopped because I realized that it was only masking my true pain. I hope you are not feeling alone like I did all those years ago and if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. I do understand. As far as it being legal, that I really can't answer, but I do believe that if you are having those thoughs and tendancies they could very well hospitalize you for your own safety.

[cujo]

I believe that really depends on how you and others look at it. i do it so it wouldn't bother me, but if someone thinks this is a type of suicide attempt then you would be placed in a mental ward or some psychiactric ward. peopel make things to be worse than they seem. They see you have some cuts and suddenly you're a suicidal maniac. i have heard that many a time. It is acctually better when you are of age, otherwise you can get taken from your parents and live in a place where they have custody until you turn 18. Just try to cover it up, blame clumsiness, a pet or something. Good luck!!!

 

You call yourself my savior, lifting me off the ground protecting me from myself. Did you ever wonder if you're the reason I cut myself? Of course not.

[thisisnotanexit]

i'm not sure

 

either way, it would be great if you could stop. i've been there, so iknow how it's addicting. please don't cut yourself that can be so dangerous. there are healthier ways of dealing with it i promise.

i'm here and we all are here for you. you're not alone, remember that. try your

best to stay strong and get through this, because i know you can. i've been

there. make sure you stay away from everything that can cut you. get rid

of it, throw it away. tell some people about this so that they can help you

too. stay away from anything that could trigger you. watch good movies,

write, read, listen to music, TALK TO SOMEONE, exercise, go for a walk, etc.

never be afraid to ask for help, because there are people out there that

can help. it's wonderful you want to talk to us, but there are other people

out there too i promise. you're going to be ok. if you do end up cutting,

remember, stay away from wrists and scary places like that.

 

contact me or anyone here if you want!,

 

you're not alone! PLEASE check out these sites, they really help

 

link removed

[Lost1n7heDark]

I'm sorry for not being able to answer, I just thought all the replies people gave were very intriguing, in a way. I'm not going to tell you to stop, because only you can decide when you're ready. I'm going to respect that, but I'm also going to say that cutting isn't going to help forever. That's just my opinion, and I know that when I'm ready, and sure, I'll stop my own cutting. I'm not sure if it's legal, all I can say is that if suicide is illegal, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I mean, you're already dead. Now cutting, well, I don't see why it would matter to them. Cutters only do injury to themselves, not other people. If one wants to do that to their own bodies, why not? They're only trying to cope, since nobody out there is helping, right? So if it's illegal, I think that's total BS. Sorry, got a little carried away. I hope you someday stop, because cutting for the rest of your life will get rather tedious, and besides, you wont be able to find a spot on your body to cut. And not to mention that it's rather unhealthy, overwhelms you with guilt and shame, and can get you kicked out of school, fired from your job, and wrapped up in a straightjacket. Even though I think that's stupid, since it's none of their business anyways, I'm not gov't. Good luck.

[dpressedone89]

suicide isnt illegal, obviously, but attempting suicide is to an extent, its civil commitment,like to a mental hospital even if its a clear and open minded choice.i havent cut in like 8 months, mostly because of constant wrist checks and therapy, but now i am able to again, i was just wondering if i could do it legally or not

[thisisnotanexit]

it is illegal, check this site out

link removed