Self Harm

[Dodge_Sniper]

Kat, I never specifically pointed you out, nor did I judge YOU in particular. I'm sorry to hear about all that stuff that you posted, but you have to understand that like Tim said, I wasn't around back when you were doing what you did for the reasons you did. You have to understand, in this day and age, the main people that do this sort of self-hurt thing is the whining emo kids that smoke pot, cut, and write sad poetry because they think life sucks, or the preps that are seeking attention. My neighbor Chelsea is one of my examples. For whatever stupid reason she did it, maybe a boy she liked didn't like her, maybe the stress of moving to a new city, whatever, she used to cut. She's 13 YEARS OLD. That's absurd, it's insane. And then she went as far as to wear a hoodie to a dirtbike track in the middle of a Florida summer, just to hide her scars. She has stopped, but honestly, why put yourself through that kind of torture, the cutting and trying to hide it by any means necessary, just to relax, be calm, or get release/emotional release. There are many safer and less dangerous was to get those effects. Sure, there are still the people who do it for a real reason, but even then, why would you go so far as to destroy your body like that? I keep hearing this repeatedly throughout this thread- "They don't want to die, it's an alternative to suicide". Sure, that may be true, but one wrong move, one slip, and you're dead. And sure, you're still alive, but destroying your body is almost up there with suicide, it's almost as bad. Again, I never took any personal shots at you Kat, try rereading my posts before getting personal about it. Still, I'm only 15, so the reasons for cutting and the people who do it have changed these days, so don't blame me for my thoughts, blame today's fucked up society.

 

[Kat]

I re-read your posts...but the fact remains...what you say hits all who have done it in the past. People have different reasons for it...and i gave you mine. And my last thing to say on this matter before i step away from it is this...cutting is far from suicide...or at least it was in my case.

 

[elluko]

I am trying to understand where you are comming from but I can't! There are far worse things in the world going on to make you want to constructively use that hostility! I wonder are you guys willing to kill yourself also! I wouldn't......I might kill somebody but not me! You may hide your self inflicted wounds but you still have the emotional baggage! My suggestion is a PS2 and GTA Vice City or San Andreas!

I heard a news article about a shooting in New York, a few teenagers shot down 2 pedestrians in a fit of rage. When a cop asked them why they did it, They told him that GTA Vice city inspired them. Anyways...
I just had to steal the spotlight for a second... back to the topic...

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

I re-read your posts...but the fact remains...what you say hits all who have done it in the past. People have different reasons for it...and i gave you mine. And my last thing to say on this matter before i step away from it is this...cutting is far from suicide...or at least it was in my case.

But see, I didn't say that cutting was suicide, I said it's basically the next closest thing to it. You could get a twitch in your hand, hit a vein, and you're dead.

 

[SilentEyz]

Kat, I never specifically pointed you out, nor did I judge YOU in particular. I'm sorry to hear about all that stuff that you posted, but you have to understand that like Tim said, I wasn't around back when you were doing what you did for the reasons you did. You have to understand, in this day and age, the main people that do this sort of self-hurt thing is the whining emo kids that smoke pot, cut, and write sad poetry because they think life sucks, or the preps that are seeking attention. My neighbor Chelsea is one of my examples. For whatever stupid reason she did it, maybe a boy she liked didn't like her, maybe the stress of moving to a new city, whatever, she used to cut. She's 13 YEARS OLD. That's absurd, it's insane. And then she went as far as to wear a hoodie to a dirtbike track in the middle of a Florida summer, just to hide her scars. She has stopped, but honestly, why put yourself through that kind of torture, the cutting and trying to hide it by any means necessary, just to relax, be calm, or get release/emotional release. There are many safer and less dangerous was to get those effects. Sure, there are still the people who do it for a real reason, but even then, why would you go so far as to destroy your body like that? I keep hearing this repeatedly throughout this thread- "They don't want to die, it's an alternative to suicide". Sure, that may be true, but one wrong move, one slip, and you're dead. And sure, you're still alive, but destroying your body is almost up there with suicide, it's almost as bad. Again, I never took any personal shots at you Kat, try rereading my posts before getting personal about it. Still, I'm only 15, so the reasons for cutting and the people who do it have changed these days, so don't blame me for my thoughts, blame today's fucked up society.

Wrong again.. In this day and age they still cut for the same reasons the generations before them cut.. The only diffrence.. It is becoming know.. its becoming understood and reconized... And the generation does not always feel the need to hide it.. Because Unlike when I was a cutter.. you find companionship with your scars.. you find out maybe you are not alone in this world...

My Daughter.. Is not a preppy looking for attention... Yes She does write poetry, and it is not to Be sad and Whinny as you so kindly put it.. She writes it because it is her talent to work with words. ., She is not an Emo.. and she does not sit around and smoke pot all day....

And when she was I3 she started Cutting.. she is I6 now.. and she no longer cuts.. But when she was cutting... It was for the same reasons, and realitys as why people have been cutting in generations before her.. it was for control.. it was for feeling. it was for release.. and it was to make herself somehow stronger to face the world. ... And Yes, she will have to live with the scars.. no she cant wear shorts or skirts in public...

and you want to know the worst part.. She was almost.. better off when she was cutting.

No I dont condone it.. but I do understand it... No I wouldnt wish she was still doing it, because it killed me when I found out she was doing it.

But I also know the results of taking it away from her...

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

Wrong again.. In this day and age they still cut for the same reasons the generations before them cut.. The only diffrence.. It is becoming know.. its becoming understood and reconized... And the generation does not always feel the need to hide it.. Because Unlike when I was a cutter.. you find companionship with your scars.. you find out maybe you are not alone in this world...

My Daughter.. Is not a preppy looking for attention... Yes She does write poetry, and it is not to Be sad and Whinny as you so kindly put it.. She writes it because it is her talent to work with words. ., She is not an Emo.. and she does not sit around and smoke pot all day....

And when she was I3 she started Cutting.. she is I6 now.. and she no longer cuts.. But when she was cutting... It was for the same reasons, and realitys as why people have been cutting in generations before her.. it was for control.. it was for feeling. it was for release.. and it was to make herself somehow stronger to face the world. ... And Yes, she will have to live with the scars.. no she cant wear shorts or skirts in public...

and you want to know the worst part.. She was almost.. better off when she was cutting.

No I dont condone it.. but I do understand it... No I wouldnt wish she was still doing it, because it killed me when I found out she was doing it.

But I also know the results of taking it away from her...

And this is what makes me believe you don't even read my posts. I never said ONLY emo kids write sad whining poetry. I said most people that cut these days are emo kids who whine all day and write sad poetry. If you're trying to prove me wrong, try a bit of reading first. We don't cut for the same reasons as people before us. Again, there are the ones that do it just to show off now, to try and be cool, look for attention, etc.

 

[OUZBnd]

dodge from what i can see you are just stereotyping people

 

[SilentEyz]

And this is what makes me believe you don't even read my posts. I never said ONLY emo kids write sad whining poetry. I said most people that cut these days are emo kids who whine all day and write sad poetry. If you're trying to prove me wrong, try a bit of reading first. We don't cut for the same reasons as people before us. Again, there are the ones that do it just to show off now, to try and be cool, look for attention, etc.

Surprise I do read your posts.. and You do say MOST.. and that's where the problem is The MOST are the people who do it for real reasons... The few are the ones who do it for attention.. and they dont even belong in the same class as what you are discussing..

You generalize a group. and then you take an example of a FEW, and make it to sound like the majority.. The Majority, do not do these things for the same reason as the FEW you refer to.

And many times even those FEW have real reasons for doing it besides what they try and lead people to believe..

I have no problems with you saying that its the emo kids or whatbe.. But to signify that Most of them are that way is saying that it is the majority.. and its really not.

And I am not trying to disprove you matt.. If anything I am trying to simply make the point that it is not as simple as it looks to the outside world.. that for MOST it is turmoil and pain.


Oh and ummm

We don't cut for the same reasons as people before us.

Who's we here???? thought you didnt Cut????

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

Surprise I do read your posts.. and You do say MOST.. and that's where the problem is The MOST are the people who do it for real reasons... The few are the ones who do it for attention.. and they dont even belong in the same class as what you are discussing..

You generalize a group. and then you take an example of a FEW, and make it to sound like the majority.. The Majority, do not do these things for the same reason as the FEW you refer to.

And many times even those FEW have real reasons for doing it besides what they try and lead people to believe..

I have no problems with you saying that its the emo kids or whatbe.. But to signify that Most of them are that way is saying that it is the majority.. and its really not.

And I am not trying to disprove you matt.. If anything I am trying to simply make the point that it is not as simple as it looks to the outside world.. that for MOST it is turmoil and pain.


Oh and ummm


Who's we here???? thought you didnt Cut????

I don't cut, I meant our generation. Damn, relax. Oh, so I guess they just want us to think they're emo? We're supposed to think they hate life, when in reality, they love life? Sure. I do understand that it's a way of dealing with pain, but in reality, it's a stupid concept. Sure, you're getting rid of one type of pain, but in return, you're causing a new type of pain, leaving permanent scars. Even if it takes a while, emotional scars can go away. But just like you said, now your daughter can't even wear shorts or skirts. That's one of negative effects of cutting. There's also the risk of death, infection, tetanus if you're not careful, and many other things. If it's calming, find other methods. Spend some time alone and just lay in a nice bed and calm down. If it's the adrenaline, go skydiving. It's just like smoking. People aren't always addicted to the tobacco, sometimes it's the oral fixation or holding something. Using Katie as an example, of course, I was terribly upset when she died, just as I was when my grandmother died, and when we had to put down our dog, but you don't see any scars on my wrists. Sure, sometimes I bottle it up and just move on, but even when I get really upset about it, I don't destroy my body over it. Cutting yourself is basically like living on the edge of suicide, but not quite going that far. Like I've said 3 times almost, one false move, one slip and you could sever a vein and die, so if you're going to be that risky, you might as well go through with the whole thing.

On a seperate note, why is everybody calling me by my real name all of a sudden?

 

[SilentEyz]

On a seperate note, why is everybody calling me by my real name all of a sudden?

I'm not allowed to tell :jk:

I don't cut, I meant our generation. Damn, relax.

*makes mental note* does not reconize smartass remarks

I don't cut, I meant our generation. Damn, relax. Oh, so I guess they just want us to think they're emo? We're supposed to think they hate life, when in reality, they love life? Sure. I do understand that it's a way of dealing with pain, but in reality, it's a stupid concept. Sure, you're getting rid of one type of pain, but in return, you're causing a new type of pain, leaving permanent scars. Even if it takes a while, emotional scars can go away. But just like you said, now your daughter can't even wear shorts or skirts. That's one of negative effects of cutting. There's also the risk of death, infection, tetanus if you're not careful, and many other things. If it's calming, find other methods. Spend some time alone and just lay in a nice bed and calm down. If it's the adrenaline, go skydiving. It's just like smoking. People aren't always addicted to the tobacco, sometimes it's the oral fixation or holding something. Using Katie as an example, of course, I was terribly upset when she died, just as I was when my grandmother died, and when we had to put down our dog, but you don't see any scars on my wrists. Sure, sometimes I bottle it up and just move on, but even when I get really upset about it, I don't destroy my body over it. Cutting yourself is basically like living on the edge of suicide, but not quite going that far. Like I've said 3 times almost, one false move, one slip and you could sever a vein and die, so if you're going to be that risky, you might as well go through with the whole thing.

On a seperate note, why is everybody calling me by my real name all of a sudden?

and all those things you suggest are great.. and for some people they work, and for some they don't.. its as simple as that, There is just no real way to explain why cutting works.. why people do it.. as far as the danger.. not really, most cutter are in complete control when they cut, and the risk of slipping and slicing a vain, ( it would probably be intentional) well, you could trip and spill gas on yourelf, and burn.. anything dangerous has risk of damage or death.. you said you have a couple burns.. those can scar.. ..

Cutters.. Most cutters dont want you to think anything, thats why they hide it.. If you want to think they are emo because they cut..then be sure you dont take the time to get to know them.. because even if you did, you would probably never get to know the real them... And I dont mean that as an insult.. that is true of anyone.. People knew I cut.. people never knew why I cut.. and when they asked, I always had an answer ready.. but NoOne.. not even my best friend, knew WHY... it was a private thing, and I knew they would never really be ablle to understand.. I knew that if I tried to tell them, I would get the same answers you yourself give. There really just is no explaining it. Can argue back and forth.. I have done it, I get the feeling and need, and reasons behind it. Those who have not done it... Well, I cant and don't expect them to understand.

Its like about anything in life..If it doesnt make sense to you because you can imagine better ways then you can not really understand why people do it. its not right or wrong.. its not good or bad. thats just a part of life, everyone does what works for them to keep their sanity in life.. some are stronger and some are weaker. some give up and some fight.. some cut, some drink, some do drugs, some sleep all day, some punch pillows, and some just pretend that nothing is ever wrong.

 

[TheOnly]

atm im kinda not liking the stereotyping such as "Emo". people are all different and some cut themsleves and some dont. some for attention and others for other reasons. I used to cut because i didnt really know what to do. i started because i was stupid and i thought tht i was to blame for everything that was goin wrong for every1. i punished myself and i wanted to make it right but i coodnt think of any way i could do it, so i punished myself further. after a while i started goin out with this girl who found out and told me to stop. i promised her i wouldnt do it anymore and so i didnt. i wanted to though. and because i wanted to, for sum reason, i thought ther must b a gud reason for wanting to do it. the longer i went without doing it, the more i thought it would help. eventualy i realized that there are somethings in life that cant be helped. and as long as you have people that love you, you are ok. i realized that me cutting myself was hurting the people i loved most. and i never wanted to cause other people any pain.

i also had a wierd obsession about my own blood but im sure tht was jst 1 of those "teenage phases" we go thro. lol. im ova tht now tho

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

O_O

:eng_mofo:

 

[TheOnly]

excuse me? why the hell did u say that?

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

Because your post was pretty much devoid of punctuation, capitalization, or grammar, and I had to read it about 3 or 4 times to even try to understand it. I find it sad that I know Canadians and people from England that type better than Americans. But that's not what this thread is about.

 

[Sneakiecat]

I find it sad that I know Canadians and people from England that type better than Americans.

What's that supposed mean? Are you trying to day that people who aren't from America shouldn't type as well as Americans? Not to be completely offtopic but that doesn't even make sense...

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

No no no, I meant that Amercians these days can't spell to save their lives, yet there are people in other countries with English as a second language who spell better than most of us, maybe we should take some hints from them.

 

[andcuriouser]

No no no, I meant that Amercians these days can't spell to save their lives, yet there are people in other countries with English as a second language who spell better than most of us, maybe we should take some hints from them.

English is the first language in both England and Canada...

 

[trope]

Don't listen to Leland. English isn't even his first language anyway. :tongue:

I think the title of this thread is slightly misleading. It is called "Self Harm", but what we have is six pages of debate on cutting in particular. Cutting is symptomatic of bigger problems. You've read first-hand accounts of cutting from several members here. It isn't a new phenomenon, just more widely discussed by the media.

Cutting is not emo. It is not some sort of teenage fad. It is not always a cry for attention (although sometimes it is a cry for help). Cutting for most people is about control. They cannot control the events in their lives, but they can control what happens to their bodies. I am not, and have never been a cutter or caused myself any sort of self harm, but I could understand the motivation.

Self harm is a much broader topic, though. Not just cutting. Self harm could include starvation, intentionally burning, recklessness. Some of these aren't as obvious as cutting, but just as dangerous.

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

Don't listen to Leland. English isn't even his first language anyway. :tongue:

I think the title of this thread is slightly misleading. It is called "Self Harm", but what we have is six pages of debate on cutting in particular. Cutting is symptomatic of bigger problems. You've read first-hand accounts of cutting from several members here. It isn't a new phenomenon, just more widely discussed by the media.

Cutting is not emo. It is not some sort of teenage fad. It is not always a cry for attention (although sometimes it is a cry for help). Cutting for most people is about control. They cannot control the events in their lives, but they can control what happens to their bodies. I am not, and have never been a cutter or caused myself any sort of self harm, but I could understand the motivation.

Self harm is a much broader topic, though. Not just cutting. Self harm could include starvation, intentionally burning, recklessness. Some of these aren't as obvious as cutting, but just as dangerous.

One last thing on the English subject, if it really isn't his first, then he proved my point. If it's not his first language, and he types better than most people with English as their first, then that's kind of sad that we were born with this language, and we can't spell it. I had a kid ask me today how to spell INTEND. Retarded? Pretty much.

Back to the harm topic. You do have a good point, if it's self-harm, it shouldn't be focusing on just cutting.

 

[Sneakiecat]

One last thing on the English subject, if it really isn't his first, then he proved my point. If it's not his first language, and he types better than most people with English as their first, then that's kind of sad that we were born with this language, and we can't spell it. I had a kid ask me today how to spell INTEND. Retarded? Pretty much.

Back to the harm topic. You do have a good point, if it's self-harm, it shouldn't be focusing on just cutting.

English is my first language and I can't spell. I spent an entire summer when I was younger trying to remember how to spell "any." I wanted to figure it out on my own, which is why it took so long. I learn how to read through whole language which means I didn't learn phonics/decoding. I still can't sound out words and have problems hearing differences vowel sounds. It has nothing to do with my intelligence level.

/geeky, teacher stuff

I think one of the reasons cutting is the most thought of form of self harm is that it's one of the few form that I know of that can't really be contributed to anythings else. Bruises from hitting yourself could be from running into things, you might "accidently" bit you lip, you burn yourself because you're clumsy.