Bodily Harm
Anonymous
I've read a couple of people write about cutting, etc., and I think it would be great to have someone to talk to about this and other bodily harm habits. Who can start?
Anonymous
It sucks, don't do it.
I've done it for three years, and I'm regretting it. It's easier to start than stop.
I've done it for three years, and I'm regretting it. It's easier to start than stop.
To me, poems or prose on cutting are always so sad and scary. I have gone through many hurts and sorrows through my life, and have speculated about suicide, but never actually tried it...well, I wont be here if I did
...a one way ticket it is, I believe.
Recently, however I encountered many cases of cutting. One person in particular stood out; a 13 year old whose parents are getting a divorce. She says she actually wanted them to divorce because she is tired of all the bickering and 'cold' silence. She says she does not actually want their attention or even want to be noticed, she just feel compelled. She is fascinated with the blood that flows. All are shallow cuts and on her arms, not on the wrists.
Speaking and listening to her makes me wonder about this act and why it can bring relief to a person. I know they need to be heard and be treated. Cutting and self-harm are frightening to others especially parents who don't understand this issue.
...a one way ticket it is, I believe. Recently, however I encountered many cases of cutting. One person in particular stood out; a 13 year old whose parents are getting a divorce. She says she actually wanted them to divorce because she is tired of all the bickering and 'cold' silence. She says she does not actually want their attention or even want to be noticed, she just feel compelled. She is fascinated with the blood that flows. All are shallow cuts and on her arms, not on the wrists.
Speaking and listening to her makes me wonder about this act and why it can bring relief to a person. I know they need to be heard and be treated. Cutting and self-harm are frightening to others especially parents who don't understand this issue.
At the risk of sounding insensitive, which I'm not, 'is body mortification a way to release pain, or can it be, at times a way to seek attention?"
I'm not passing judgment. I've seriously asked myself this question, and I've as of yet been able to come up with an answer.
Also, by wondering, if this is an attentions seeking mechanism, I'm not implying that it shouldn't be taken seriously. As we all need attention from friends, family, and 'yes'; lovers.
"Could this be an act of loneliness?" Your thoughts please.
I'm not passing judgment. I've seriously asked myself this question, and I've as of yet been able to come up with an answer.
Also, by wondering, if this is an attentions seeking mechanism, I'm not implying that it shouldn't be taken seriously. As we all need attention from friends, family, and 'yes'; lovers.
"Could this be an act of loneliness?" Your thoughts please.
sometimes I feel so dead inside and this feeling of non existence falls upon me, like I'm a ghost completely encased in myself with no way out back into the real world, if there is such a place. I found, or created a delusion perhaps, that my only escape from this feeling was my self destruction, my reason being that, although ones self destruction can lead to just that, ones destruction, it can also lead to creation. so, I guess I am saying that when I break my own skin I do it to help me, to release me from chains I probably put myself into. The pain tells me that I'm alright, that everything is alright, i'm alive, I feel something still. and life is beautiful. I may be tearing/burning away at my skin, but it grows back, as does the Beauty of feeling alive once I have reminded myself that I am. its never been an act of seeking attention for me, or an addiction, or a bad thing by any means. its always been my escape from myself, from the cage that I become, from my ugliness, I guess you could say, inner ugliness, that is. and until that becomes inner Beauty I will continue to release ugliness to create beauty within. it works for me where so many things like heavy drug and alcohol abuse did not. It is my salvation. and I only require it a few times a year, if that.
Anonymous
snugglebuck said:At the risk of sounding insensitive, which I'm not, 'is body mortification a way to release pain, or can it be, at times a way to seek attention?" .
I did it for 15 years, it ruined my life. I went on to become an alcoholic. I'm pretty much recovered from both now. Neither did I tell a soul until the last few years, but maybe it was just a phase I was going through, right?
I did it for 15 years, it ruined my life. I went on to become an alcoholic. I'm pretty much recovered from both now. Neither did I tell a soul until the last few years, but maybe it was just a phase I was going through, right?
for me its not about attention I do know for a fact some people do it for attention. but I only talk about it to maybe help someone though cause I know what its like. and as for doing it it can be an act of bordom or being alone but it can also help with stress or pain. I know it sounds crazy I thought it was insane then it happened to me and now I understand, its weird I still get the urge to cut but I try to do something less damaging like writing though it doesn't always fill the void. if that makes sense.
Anonymous
snugglebuck said:At the risk of sounding insensitive, which I'm not, 'is body mortification a way to release pain, or can it be, at times a way to seek attention?"
I'm not passing judgment. I've seriously asked myself this question, and I've as of yet been able to come up with an answer.
Also, by wondering, if this is an attentions seeking mechanism, I'm not implying that it shouldn't be taken seriously. As we all need attention from friends, family, and 'yes'; lovers.
"Could this be an act of loneliness?" Your thoughts please.
I think that there are so many situations a person could be in, that there is no explaining how everyone feels. It depends on who they are, and what is going on in their life.
I'm not passing judgment. I've seriously asked myself this question, and I've as of yet been able to come up with an answer.
Also, by wondering, if this is an attentions seeking mechanism, I'm not implying that it shouldn't be taken seriously. As we all need attention from friends, family, and 'yes'; lovers.
"Could this be an act of loneliness?" Your thoughts please.
I think that there are so many situations a person could be in, that there is no explaining how everyone feels. It depends on who they are, and what is going on in their life.
snugglebuck said:At the risk of sounding insensitive, which I'm not, 'is body mortification a way to release pain, or can it be, at times a way to seek attention?"
I'm not passing judgment. I've seriously asked myself this question, and I've as of yet been able to come up with an answer.
Also, by wondering, if this is an attentions seeking mechanism, I'm not implying that it shouldn't be taken seriously. As we all need attention from friends, family, and 'yes'; lovers.
"Could this be an act of loneliness?" Your thoughts please.
Cutting is a way to take the focus off mental pain which you can't always control, by shifting the pain itself, to that of the physical, which you can indeed control how much you get.
I used to dig at the skin on the backs of my shoulders, with my fingernails, for years, and it doesn't matter how you break the skin, it's still cutting for a release. Incidentally, when I had to do radiation therapy 4 years ago for breast cancer, all my handiwork scars got burned away and you'd never know I did anything. When they give you a hit of radiation, (or 36 doses in my case) the rays have to exit the body somewhere after they go in; guess where mine exited---the backs of my shoulders.
I'm not passing judgment. I've seriously asked myself this question, and I've as of yet been able to come up with an answer.
Also, by wondering, if this is an attentions seeking mechanism, I'm not implying that it shouldn't be taken seriously. As we all need attention from friends, family, and 'yes'; lovers.
"Could this be an act of loneliness?" Your thoughts please.
Cutting is a way to take the focus off mental pain which you can't always control, by shifting the pain itself, to that of the physical, which you can indeed control how much you get.
I used to dig at the skin on the backs of my shoulders, with my fingernails, for years, and it doesn't matter how you break the skin, it's still cutting for a release. Incidentally, when I had to do radiation therapy 4 years ago for breast cancer, all my handiwork scars got burned away and you'd never know I did anything. When they give you a hit of radiation, (or 36 doses in my case) the rays have to exit the body somewhere after they go in; guess where mine exited---the backs of my shoulders.
Yes it can be a way for some people to get attention....but at all once I know many people that do not do it for that reason. I for one did it because it felt like my only way to end the pain that I was going through. I have not cut it 18 months but every day I still imagine the way the blade felt. I still have the urges to cut and feel the physical pain rather than the emotional pain. Why for one incident, I have a lot going on with my mom right now and I have not talked to her in over two weeks. She has yet to call me and bother to ask if I am okay (which I am not emotionally) and to make sure I am coping in appropriate ways. I have not called her because every time I call, it seems that it ends up in a fight. I know longer know what to do about it, so sometimes I resort to minor scratching. I just want to say to anyone out there; if you need someone to talk to about cutting or self harm in any other way, I am here for you guys 
